


The Moon Child

by MotherOfPorgs



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Werewolf, Beauty and the Beast Elements, Ben Solo is a Mess, Ben Solo is a werewolf, Ben Solo is cursed, F/M, Force Bond (Star Wars), Redeem Ben Solo, Rey Kenobi, Rey tames Ben Solo, Reylo - Freeform, Snowy Elbe Washington, Star Wars AU, Vacationing Rey
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-07
Updated: 2019-10-22
Packaged: 2019-11-13 07:55:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 27,392
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18027785
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MotherOfPorgs/pseuds/MotherOfPorgs
Summary: Rey Kenobi only wanted a peaceful vacation in Elbe, Washington. Away from the hustle and bustle of her busy life, she expects to relax and enjoy her time off. A freak storm, though, seems to have other plans. Not only does she find herself lost in the woods and cold, her unexpected rescue leads her to something much deeper than she ever expected. Will her savior become her undoing, or will she become his? Will the secrets surrounding the area scare her, or let her solve them?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, and welcome to my new fic. I had published this before, but something happened and I had to repost it.

**“Choose rather to be strong of soul than strong of body.”**

**-Pythagoras**  


                The mountain side gleamed in the light of the full moon. It spread in silver through the trees, causing the snowfall to sparkle like diamonds. The crunch of his footsteps through the drifts seemed to be the only sound that night. There were no birds, no crickets, and nothing else that seemed to find that moment to be heard.

                Just him.

                A chill breeze whispered among the tree tops, the ancient branches sending showers of snow raining down upon him in glittering waves. The cool flakes were a stark reminder of nature’s wrath, but he was all too keen on that subject already. He had known the power of Mother Earth for quite some time now.

                He halted short of the bluff overlooking town. Orange glowed against the crisp night, life beginning to fade into sleep. It was his responsibility to keep watch, to make sure everything was safe. He had a job, but that post demanded sacrifices. It was up to him to make them. Only he could be of use. That didn’t do much to quell the dread within him. He didn’t wish to surrender anything more than what he had already.

                Puffs of white steam escaped his nostrils. He winced against the pain, feeling the cold air grate its icy fingers upon his skin. He hadn’t remembered a time when the agony had been so great. Still, it was better than the alternative. He would never go back and do what his ancestors had done. Never.

                Another splinter of hurt sliced through his body, wracking every nerve ending with fire. It burned against the winter air and squeezed out a howl from the very depths of his soul. The sound echoed like a sorrowful song against the bark of the frozen trees. Snow laden branches dared not move because of their heavy loads. He wished to feel the coolness against the inferno of his soul. Then, he would know what it was like to be at peace.

                Yet, he had to endure it. It was meant to be. With the beaming silver of the bloated moon came his curse. It had been that way since ancient times. He couldn’t fight it even if he had the power to. He could only wish against fate that something could be done, or the night would not last so long. He had wished this for years without knowing if there was even a way to make it stop. He had lived with the pain that came with the curse.

                For his family, he would do anything.

                His mind felt the sudden warmth. It had always been there, a dreamlike hint of heat he had held onto ever since it had made its appearance. He didn’t know where it originated from, he had yet to understand it fully. However, with every transformation, he latched onto this tender sensation. It was his only reason to move forward, the only sense of peace he longed for. Was it someone or something? If it belonged to a person, then who could it be?

                Did they know what they were doing? The hope they reaped?

                Another scream ripped itself from his throat. His body broke in places he knew it shouldn’t. One final time, he thought. That would be the end of the transformation. One final crack of his bones and it would be over. He held onto this thought until the final moments, gripping tightly on the hope of the ending and the warm presence lingering within his mind. Then, he fell to the snow and felt the coolness he had longed for.

                He laid there until the frost tipped the ends of his fur, gripping onto the warmth while he body fell to the cold. 

 


	2. Chapter 2

 

 **If the world seems cold to you, kindle fires to warm it.**  
**\- Lucy Larcom**

                “Ma’am?”

                The elderly lady behind the desk sighed inwardly, gazing at Rey Kenobi with tired eyes.

                “Yes, what can I help you with?”

                Rey gave a tight smile, presenting the woman with the brochure she had gathered earlier. “I need to know where this is?”

                The lady blinked slowly as if she couldn’t believe the girl was not nose deep in her phone, checking Google Maps for the location she needed to get to. The thing was, the location was not very well labeled. The inn she wished to lodge in deemed mighty difficult compared to what she thought the search was to be.

                “Oh,” She stated as she lowered her bifocals. “You’re looking for the Hobo Inn?”

                Rey nodded.

                “It’s just down there. Not hard to miss. Just look for the caboose.”

                Rey dipped her head, turning to leave the information area and attempt to find the place she was to stay for the next few weeks. This vacation, as she was supposed to call it, was to get her out and away from work. Her job had consumed her, her boss had stated. The job itself was stressful enough without the added pressure placed on her shoulders by customers. She needed the break, if she were being honest with herself. The clothing job back home would have to remain without her for the time being.

                Rey stepped out from the visitor center, drinking in the crisp mountain air swirling around her. Her untamed curls gently brushed against her face, the bun atop her head doing little to catch the fly away strands. Of course, there was little she could do about her mop at all. She had tried and to no avail. Still, it was better than having short hair. That would only be a means for disaster.

                Stepping toward the rental truck she had been gifted for her stay, thanks to her boss, she let her eyes wander around the small town of Elbe, Washington. Out of all places she could have gone, she picked the most secluded. Mountain air was what she had craved, and mountain air was what she had received. It was an immense jump from the humid life she led in Oklahoma. Nothing beat the crisp breeze, the snow glittering on Mount Rainer, and the pine trees. Oh, the pine trees.

                She smiled to herself and unlocked her truck. The vehicle beeped her entry and she sank into the comfy bucket seat, adjust to the altitude for a bit before heading toward her destination. The engine roared to life, another upgrade from the vehicle she had at home. This truck purred, a much different sound escaping hers parked in the middle of nowhere back home. Still, she was thankful for a lot of things in her life and having a vehicle was one of them. She couldn’t imagine getting from her job to her apartment without the old Ford.

                She began her trek east, toward the Hobo Inn. Of course, she hadn’t thought of how unique her lodging experience would be until she had heard of the odd collection of train cabooses in Elbe. She needed a place to unwind and unplug herself and the small town offered just that. There were also various things not too far from her location. She could run along mountain paths, hike through Mount Rainer National Park, and even see the shoreline of Alder Lake. A river ran nearby as well, but she couldn’t remember the name.

                The grey clouds did little to inhibit Rey’s chipper mood. It was far better than that of home, even though her boss had informed her the weather seemed to be the same. The chilly breezed fluttered through the tree tops, the broad-leafed ones beginning to turn shades of orange or yellow. Blazes of those who had already transformed were dotted along the mountain sides surrounding her, evergreens proudly showing their colors against the yellowing grass.

                There wasn’t much to Elbe. It suited Rey just fine. A small-town beat Oklahoma City any day. The roads seemed smaller than the six lanes she took headed to and from work. A white steeple stood stark white against the clouded sky, shutters covering the bell that may or may not have been there. She was taken back hundreds of years, to quaint little farm towns and horse drawn carriages. She could see how old everything appeared but how well maintained it all seemed to be. Her heart fluttered, the history nut inside of her rearing its head.

                Finally, she spied the blazing red caboose army toward the end of town before the curve of the highway turned elsewhere. A gravel parking lot surrounded the line of caboose, a few cars parked there. At the time she had called, there had been only one room available. She noted the cars and nodded. They had been correct on the limited space. From what she remembered, there were only enough beds to sleep sixteen people. Her memory, though, was faulty at times.

                She pulled in, the rocks under her tires crunching. Claiming a spot before one caboose, she glanced toward the front of the conga for the office. Donning her thick coat, she opened the door to her rental and slipped from the seat onto the gravel beneath her feet. She locked the door behind her and headed toward the head of the inn. Spotting the office, she opened the oddly shaped door and smiled at the receptionist at the desk.

                “Hello,” She greeted. The woman smiled. “I’m Rey Kenobi. I have a reservation.”

                “Yes, ma’am.” The lady nodded, turning away to fumble with some paper work. “I just cleaned your room and fluffed your sheets. You should be all set.”

                “Thank you.” Rey stated.

                “There is no TV or Wi-Fi but there are books and cards to mess around with. Is that okay?” The woman glanced over her spectacles at the girl.

                Rey beamed again. “That is perfect. I don’t need any technology now.”

                “Vacation get away, huh?” The woman chuckled. “I understand that.”

                Rey agreed with a nod. “Yes. I needed to get away for sure.”

                “Do you know the attractions in Elbe?”

                Rey shook her head. “No, ma’am. I believe I do not. I know the national park is close and so is the lake. That’s about it.”

                The old woman’s eyes brightened. “Well, the park is only about thirteen miles or so from here and the shore of the lake isn’t too far either. A day drive and you’ll reach both.”

                “Are there any nature trails I can hike along. I would love to see the mountain side and the trees.”

                The woman nodded. “Of course. I’m not sure of where, but I bet you’ll find some. We are supposed to get snow on Saturday, so I hope you brought some warm clothes.”

                Rey nodded. “Yes. I did.”

                The lady smiled and handed Rey a key. “Here you go, sweetheart. I hope you enjoy your stay. Let me know if you need anything.”

                The brunette nodded with another warm grin and turned to leave. She welcomed the cool air once again, the stale heat provided inside the office being far too much for the girl to handle now. She was, in fact, very thankful the cabooses held heat and air, however. The cold air was not welcome while she slept.

                With a few trips, she managed to gather her things from her rental. The keys jingled in her hand as she opened her door to the caboose she would call hers for a few weeks. Her suitcase thumped onto the ground and Rey groaned as she straitened to gaze around the room.

To Rey, it resembled a travel trailer. Long, sandy colored walls of wood stretched on either side of her. Small windows framed with deep green curtains allowed the hazy light from outside to spill upon the fluffy dark green carpet. Two beds sat before her, and of course she had to pick the one nearest the rear of the car. Each was draped with retro appearing sheets, soft mounds of pillows stacked at the head of each. Knowing her, she would be stealing all of them to curl up on. Instantly, she was felt the massive jet lag reminding her of how exhausting the trip had been.

Skimming over the travel brochure, she spotted a nearby diner and immediately knew she needed to eat. In her pamphlet, Rey spotted a town not too far from Elbe. Ashford seemed about seven miles away, a little bar and grill on the way. Rey figured she would stop there, hoping the food would sate her hunger. She hadn’t noticed how famished she had gotten since she entered Washington, the exhaustion from the trip taking a toll on her already tired body.

The bar and grill didn’t seem like much from the outside. A simple marquee with dark black letters reading “The Best Burgers Around”, shone bright against the ebbing light of day. She gazed through the windshield at the bright spears of gold slicing through pines surrounding the town. The small parking lot held a few vehicles, indicating there was a least some business. Rey hoped for good food, but she could settle for something mediocre. Hunger was, after all, the best seasoning.

Stepping up to the door, she peered in through the glass. The subtle thumping of music reached her ears, vibrating slightly against her skin. The beat transported her home for a moment, a sense of comfort easing her nerves. She breathed in, gripped the door handle, and swung the door outward to step inside. A tiny bell above her head signaled her entrance. The scent of smoke and fry oil wafted around her with the welcoming warmth of heat. It was a stark contrast to that of the chill outside.

A few customers glanced up, noticing they had never seen the girl before. She felt eyes upon her fleetingly, most of the customer base older. A lone man scrubbed the smooth wood of the bar wrapping around him. Old vinyl stools that had seen better days were placed in front, seating at least a dozen people. She spotted worn tables and chairs off to either side, some patrons occupying those to eat. Baskets with fries and burgers lay in front of them while they watched her approach the bar tender.

He was a tall, dark man, with kind eyes. A smile broke through his busy brown beard, wrinkles cracking to show his age. Rey noticed the older patrons had gone back to their business. She allowed herself to glance to either side of her chosen seat, spotting a pale man at the very end who had yet to cast his eyes back to his beer. The two locked gazes for a moment, the beady orbs of the red head causing Rey's skin to prickle with unease.

"The name's Chewie. What can I get you?" The bar tender boomed. Rey jolted slightly at his baritone and turned to him with a smile.

"I'm Rey. I would like a burger, please."

The man, Chewie, nodded. "Do you want fries with that?"

Rey nodded vigorously. "Oh, yes please. I am starving."

Chewie beamed. "Oh, really? I will have Han get you some extra fries, how does that sound?"

She could have practically jumped for joy. Yet, she contained herself. Her smile gave away the sudden elation within her breast. "Oh, that would be amazing. Thank you!"

"No problem. It's on the house." Chewie nodded. "What would you like to drink? That you would have to pay for."

Rey contemplated, knowing she would have loved to dig into something with a kick. However, she had a few weeks in the place. Getting drunk on the first night deemed a bit much. She would have to wait, a feeling growing inside her that she would like the bar and grill. It was locally owned, it seemed, and she tended to favor places where she could meet the person who ran it.

"I will take a Coke, please." She smiled.

"Are you sure you don't want some whiskey in that?" Chewie rose an bushy eyebrow.

"I'm sure. I'm just a visitor, I don't want people knowing my entire life story just yet." She replied.

The darker man laughed, a rich tone hearty and full of life. "That's a good one. I like you Rey, you have spunk."

"I try." She giggled.

She observed as Chewie sauntered over to a lengthy window behind the bar. He shouted her order, an equally older man peeking over the stainless-steel surface used to place food upon. His eyes met hers for a moment before meeting Chewie's and beginning his work. He grabbed a bottle of cleaner and a towel to place upon the bar top.

"So, Rey," Chewie spoke, placing a clean cup under the soda machine and pouring her drink. “Where are you from?”

“I’m from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.” She answered as he placed the fizzing beverage before her. “I’m here on vacation.”

                “Oh,” Chewie’s tone elated, showing interest. “Vacation, you say? Why on earth would you come here?”

                “Believe it or not, I get that a lot.” Rey chuckled. “I chose this place because of the mountains. It’s so quaint out here and peaceful.”

                Chewie grabbed the spray bottle and spritzed the worn wood of the bar. “I can’t argue with that. It is quite peaceful here.”

                “Except for those damn wolves you hear every night.” An elderly gentleman spoke over his beer mug. “Like to keep me up all the time.”

                “Tarkin, you don’t sleep anyway with your arthritis.” Chewie responded. “You’re lucky to even catch the few winks you do catch.”

                The older man, Tarkin, shook his head. “I tell you, there are wolf men up in those mountains.”

                Rey blinked at the sudden turn of sanity. The man’s wrinkled face had seen better days. His cheeks sunk unhealthily, sharp features sagged with age. He was very skinny, frail bony fingers gripping onto the glass mug tightly. His sharp eyes met Rey’s, seeming to see nothing worth value in her, and moved to talk to Chewie again.

                “I’m not crazy.” He stated. Rey could have said otherwise. It appeared a bunch of the patrons followed suit.

                Chewie rolled his dark eyes. “Wilhuff, we know you think there are werewolves in the mountains, but we also knew you have been off your meds for a while. Hush your mouth before you scare our visitor.”

                Rey bit back a shot of laughter spiking in her throat. The thought of being frightened over old horror myths of wolfmen did little to actually scare her. It took much more than that to send her home, crying. She had seen too much in her day to consider stories spooky. She was raised in an atmosphere of fear and loathing, eventually being adopted into a safer environment by her grandfather, Ben. Old Ben already knew as soon as he had taken her under his wing that she was slightly damaged beyond repair. The things she had seen and endured were nothing short of abysmal.

                After that, however, her life had been peaceful.

                Until the dreams of cold had taken over her slumber. It had happened not too long ago and asked more questions everyday than answered them. Old Ben had always believed dreams meant something. Once she called him to discuss it, he had stated something was trying to reach her. The cold tingle upon her skin appeared to mean things much deeper than what she thought. Of course, she didn’t understand it enough to believe it, but the dreams kept on. They disturbed her with pain and agony that was not her own. Screams tore through a silver night, snow melting upon hot skin.

                A pair of deep brown eyes would always find her hazels. They reached out with long fingers, yearning for warmth as if hers was all they could cling to. She tried. Oh, did she try. She would reach forward, as well, to help them. To do anything in her power to stop the pain they felt.

                Then, they would disappear.

                Those dreams, she thought, were the reason she had been dismissed by her boss. Her nights were sleepless, her waking moments consumed by tiredness. She wasn’t motivated to do much of anything and Poe noticed. Dameron was no fool when it came to his employees. So, when he mentioned taking a break, she knew instantly he understood her predicament.

                Chewie set a basket down in front of Rey, snapping her from her thoughts. “Here you go, kid. Eat up.”

                She smiled. “Thank you.”

                After saying her goodbyes to Chewie, finally full on food, Rey left the bar and grill to head to her lodge. She dug her keys from her jeans while white puffs of hot breath fell from her lips. Cold fingers fumbled with each pocket desperately, panic beginning to tingle at the base of her heart. Shivers racked her spine, her nerves shooing warning flags. She had just felt the jingle moments ago, in her right front pocket of her jeans. She searched her jacket as well, hands coming up with nothing but lint and a tube of Chapstick she kept for dry weather.

                “Are you looking for these?” A sly voice slithered into her ears, causing more than just a shiver to lanced through her heart. She turned to see the pale man from before, jingling her keys like bait. His eye glinted menacingly.

                Rey nodded slowly, unable to take her eyes from the red-haired man before her. “Yes, yes I was. Can I please have them back?”

                The man narrowed his eyes, pupils sparking from the overhead street lamp. There was something different about him she couldn’t distinguish. She thought, maybe, it was her surroundings. The circling mountains and tall, stoic pines swaying as the small breeze brushed their ruffled tops. She couldn’t place the feeling, but deep inside her, her gut rolled with unease.

                “What do I get if I give these to you?” His eyes flashed something dangerous, Rey’s sense of disquiet growing intensely within her breast. She didn’t like where this was going.

                “I don’t know you.” She stated, lifting her chin up toward the man. She would not show the slow creep of fear beginning to latch onto her soul. “I cannot give you anything.”

                His eyes read much different. They slithered up and down her body, her own mind knowing full well what images were flickering behind those orbs of malice. “I can think of a few things.”

                A large paw of a hand suddenly gripped the man’s shoulder. The dark fingers the sized of sausages squeezed hard, the red head’s eyes closing in what Rey assumed was pain. Her eyes followed up the hand to the arm, and eventually to the owner. Relief washed over her as soon as Chewie’s kind eyes met her own.

                “Armitage? What are you doing here still?” Chewie’s baritone seemed like a rush of warmth through Rey. Her core lit suddenly, thankful for the savior who owned the bar. “Don’t you have your mother to go to? Or a cat to take care of? Millicent, is it?”

                A bubble of laughter piled at the base of her throat, threatening to expel if she wasn’t too careful. Chewie noted the slight sparkle in Rey’s hazels, the twitch of her lips as they attempted to give her away. The larger man patted the smaller one atop his busy red mane. The pale man snarled, something entirely inhuman almost, and left hurriedly down toward a dark truck she hadn’t seen until that moment. Every ounce of unease slowly slipped after the fleeing man.

                “Armitage?” Rey finally broke the barrier as soon as the man’s vehicle left in a flurry of exhaust and tread marks.  “What kind of name is that? Who was that guy?”

                Chewie eyed where the man had left before meeting her gaze. “He’s just some local. Last name is Hux. He comes to the bar to get away from home. Just a noisy shit.”

                Rey nodded. “Well, thank you so much, Mr. Chewie. It was a pleasure meeting you and thank you for saving me from kicking that man in the balls. I appreciate it.”

                “You’re welcome, Rey.” Chewie replied, smiling. “I will see you around?”

                Rey laughed. “I hope in a better light, yes.”

                With that, Chewie walked her to her truck with her newly acquired keys she had not noticed ending up back in her procession. With everything that had gone on, who could blame her? Still, she couldn’t shake the sensation of the unease winding through her veins like cold water. The chill spliced through her spine. A feeling that the man seemed more dangerous than what he was letting on. He was a pawn to a much larger player.

                She was only lucky enough to have Chewie there to save her. Next time, she thought, she wouldn’t be so lucky.

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow! Loving the comments and kudos on this fic! Thank you so much. Its been a rough week and adulting is horrible. So, writing is helping me cope.   
> I hope you enjoy this chapter. Let me know what you think!

**“The quiet rhythmic monotone of the wall of logs fills one with the rustic peace of a secluded nook in the woods.”**

**Gustav Stickley**  


Cold ice nipped at her fingertips. She reached forward, screaming toward the figure in agony as their warped body writhed against the stark white. They were immense in size, large and black. Frost tipped the ends of shaggy hair and Rey could not help but wonder who or what they were. She didn’t press, however, knowing full well it didn’t matter at that moment. All that did matter was the desperation to help them.

                They needed her.

                Then, they were gone.

                She woke with a start to warmth spreading golden fingers across her skin. The sun peeked through the blinds, caressing her cheek like a lover’s touch. She sat up slowly, her body unused to the mountain air. The clock beside her on the night stand read eight in the morning, a perfect time to go for a morning jog.

                While she readied herself, her mind lingered upon the dream from the night before. Somehow, after a Coke and greasy food, she had still dreamt the same dream. She thought she had left it all behind in Oklahoma. She should have known better to believe anything could have been left behind. Old Ben mentioned dreams to mean something deeper. Maybe, there was something about the dream she needed to observe closer.

                It had been so vibrant. Unlike the times before, she remembered every crystal of snow and every rake of cold air upon her skin. She saw the swaying pines above her head, the brush of their needles tickling each snowflake as they landed to blend into the rest of the cacophony below. It billowed and swirled as a sudden wind bit at her extended fingers.

                The only thing she couldn’t see was the thing she wanted to. A black form writhed in the cold, muffled screams attempting to pierce through the veil of her dreamscape. She tried desperately to reach the figure, to give it some sort of comfort. All she could do at that time, though, was watch and listen as it suffered. Her heart tore in two, her soul mortified at the lack of mobility her limbs held. Something was keeping her from aiding that person, if it was even a person.

                Rey glanced down at her phone, the satellite powered weather application lay wide open to the world. In Elbe, a snow storm was expected to hit soon. Hours, she figured, but the sun gleamed so bright outside. She pushed a blind up, the fogged glass cold upon her fingertips. The window provided a view of the mountain top behind the line of caboose. She spotted swaying trees and clear, crystal blue sky. No clouds hung ominously in that direction.

                She swung her legs over the fluffy mattress, feeling the thin carpet between her toes as she stood and stretched once again. Cracks and delicious pops sounded through her joints before she located her hiking clothing. A simple pair of running leggings, a pull over fleece jacket, a beanie, and her favorite pair of hiking boots were placed upon the bed and examined. The temperature on the app read mid-thirties. Her body was not adjusted to the altitude. Rey then figured, if she was right, that she would be burning up before she even reached the highest point of the trail. Therefore, her attire would suffice.

                Of course, she had to take into consideration hydration. She remembered seeing a vending machine in the lodge office, reckoning it a good idea to at least have a bottle of water on hand when she needed it. If anything, a break from hiking could do her some good. Or twenty breaks, whichever she preferred and made the feeling of dying while walking go away. Physical exercise was a bit of a chore for the girl. A cozy fire and bed sounded better. The need to see her surroundings, to absorb the mountain air while she was there deemed far more enticing than the comfy bed.

                Donning her clothes, she swung the door open to reveal a nasty wall of clouds in the opposite direction in which she had observed before. A chill wind cut through her apparel, the idea of hiking looking more and more unpleasant as she observed the wall of grey contrast against the blue sky. With a shrug, she brushed the feeling away and continued her path toward the office. Maybe the clerk would have something to say about the incoming storm.

                The door jingled as she entered, the friendly face of the older woman at the desk popping up and greeting her with a smile.

                “Good morning, dear. Sleep well?”

                Rey beamed back. “Yes, I did. Thank you. I came to grab some water for a hike.”

                “The vending machine is right around that corner.” The woman stated. However, Rey could not miss the expression of concern following her. “Are you going out right now for that hike?”

                “Yes, ma’am. I am.”

                The lady nodded, but the worry never faltered. “My dear, you know there is a nasty snow storm coming in from the north? I don’t think a hike would be very healthy.”

                Rey halted, blinking while her mind caught up with the moment. A snow storm impended on the small town and the woman at the desk only seemed to be attempting to help, but Rey was an independent woman. At least, she liked to think she was. Even at times when she wasn’t sure, she would front, and others would believe her as such. So, when the woman told her of her fault in the decision she had made, Rey stood dumbfounded at the comment.

                “I’m sorry, dear. I just thought you would want to be safe.” The older woman stated, her face riddled with increased worry.

“Thank you for your concern, Miss…” Rey stumbled, unsure she ever learned the name of the lodge clerk.

“It’s Amilyn. Amilyn Holdo.” The woman beamed. “I should have introduced myself.”

Rey returned the smiled. “I’m Rey. Rey Kenobi.”

The woman stood, extending a hand. “What a nice name. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Rey closed the distance between and shook Amilyn’s hand. “Likewise. I should have introduced myself as well, Miss Holdo.”

“Amilyn, please.” The woman pressed.

“Sorry. Southern hospitality and all that.” Rey shrugged.

“I understand. It’s a small town. A little different than most places.” Amilyn shrugged, taking her seat once more. “It isn’t everyday strangers come around to stay a few weeks with us.”

Rey quirked an eyebrow. “I thought this was a marvelous place to stay for vacation?”

Amilyn’s eyes locked onto her keyboard, shrug returning to her shoulders. “It used to be, but for some reason people began to vanish.”

Rey stiffened. “Vanish?”

Amilyn glanced up into Rey’s eyes, a tiredness in them she couldn’t describe. “It wasn’t long ago that we used to have so many people come and stay the week or two here. They used to go for hikes in the woods and come back just fine. Lately, in the past couple of months, some haven’t come back. Those who do don’t file reports or anything. It’s as if they are too scared to death.”

Rey leaned forward, her previous mission completely forgotten. “Scared? Of what?”

Amilyn rose to grab a few papers, busying herself. “I don’t know exactly. All I know is they claim to see a large, black creature in those woods. Sometimes its other creatures. One thing is for sure, though,” The woman turned back to Rey. “Something is in those woods, but you didn’t hear it from me. That’s why I think a walk in this oncoming weather wouldn’t be safe.”

Rey blinked a few times, unsure how to register the woman’s information. “Are you sure they didn’t see a bear or something?”

Amilyn chuckled. “Bears do live around here, yes. That isn’t want the survivors claimed, however. They said the creature was much larger than that of any old bear.”

Rey scratched her chin. “Well, I’ll stay away from the area they claimed to see those creatures. I don’t plan on getting scared during my vacation.”

Amilyn shrugged. “Well, just stay careful. Mind the weather.”

“I will.” Rey nodded. “Oh, I need some water.”

Holdo held her palm to the girl. “I’ll grab you one. On me.”

The woman turned and exited through a wooden door. Rey waited a few minutes before Amilyn returned holding a chilled bottle of water. Rey thanked the woman, assuring her she was _not_ going to not return. Amilyn seemed convinced enough as Rey exited the office area, mind reeling from the flood of information she had just received.

Of course, the logical part of her brain scoffed at the info. Bears were commonplace in the mountains. That was well known. One may or may not be violent. Rey knew, for a fact, some bears would venture close to camps and other human occupied areas just to grab food. People were careless, lazy, and forgetful. Bears took the opportunities given to them. It was smart, really, and helped them to survive. Still, no matter what seemed efficient on their part, they still killed humans as well. There were many cases of bears hurting, even eating, people out in the woods. Rey knew the stories like she knew bears were not to be taken for granted.

Another thought lingered where the many had been before. Holdo mentioned the creature to be much larger than that of a bear, but it still didn’t prove much of anything. She would just have to avoid that area. She personally did not want to die in the woods. So, she took a mental note to avoid bears and larger-than-normal bears as well.

The air nipped her ears on the trip to her truck. The invigoration racing through her veins caused her heart to race. Since she had started the new job back home, there had been no room to run. She had no time for herself and she couldn’t lie and say she had been eating healthy, either. Fast food was her best friend. Nothing beat a large French fry while streaming Netflix.

The hiking trail she chose lie only a few miles from town. Indian Henry’s Hunting Grounds via Longmire Trail had been the closest to reach and not too far. She hadn’t seen much in terms of what the actual trails appeared to be or the difficulty. It just seemed quaint, a little outside her comfort zone, and very much worth it. She needed to feel the cool, mountain air rush past her as she sped down dirt trails. The altitude would pose a problem, but she didn’t mind too much.

She pulled into the designated parking area, the woods surrounding the gravel inviting her with swaying needles of evergreen and the lingering smell of crisp pine. Her excitement flared to life once again, her veins rushing at the thought of her shoes pounding the earth beneath them, breath coming in gasps at the exertion. The feeling of the air engulfing her skin like water.

She started her run slow, listening to her heart pound against her rib cage. The chill raked at her untrained ears seasoned from years in the up and down weather of Oklahoma. Sounds of nature were a chorus to her ears and a lovely start to her exhausting trek forward. The crunch of twigs and leaves beneath her tennis shoes were all that broke the quiet chorus of nature’s call. She felt the chill air rake her interior, the cold bit at her fingertips.

She ran. She ran until she couldn’t run anymore. Her body screamed for air, for a break, and that was when she halted. It felt so good, though. The euphoria rushing through her body as she blasted up and down the trail. The needles of pines bristled as the stopped in the path, the chill air ruffling the pinecones still awaiting the decent. She gazed up into the boughs of a nearby pine, using its trunk as something to grip and rest by.

As she gained her composer, she listened to the quiet of the wood. Her run had left many things out of her vision. Her pace had caused everything to blow past her. She wanted to enjoy the land surrounding her small form, feel the pine sap stick between her fingers and smell the lustrous scent that was the mountain air. She found herself struggling to breathe thanks to the altitude difference. A small smile forced itself upon her face.

In the silence, she heard the music that was nature. Near her, a squirrel barked at another. Their scratching echoed quietly against the bark of her tree. The chill breeze rattled the boughs overhead and she listened to the whispering pine needles as they chattered amongst themselves. She wished she could understand their language, feeling silly for wanting to know what a tree would say. She remembered the age on some, knowing full well many had seen various things occur before them. Oh, the stories they could tell her.

Snow crunched in the quiet. It echoed against every scrap of bark and dead leaf. She held her breath, hoping it to be a deer or something harmless. Rey felt a prickle at the back of her mind. It raced up her spine, causing her body to shiver against it. She didn’t know what it was, a thrumming against her brain as deep as the hum of a bumblebee.

A twig snapped. Rey’s hazels darted toward the believed source. Did she need to run? Was it a threat of some sort, or a harmless creature of nature? She hoped for the latter. She didn’t want to run for her life and only wished to run for pleasure. The feeling of something pressing upon her breast grew with intensity. She felt smothered, drowning in darkness. The humming sensation vibrated feelings of sorrow and anger as it washed over her like the biting cold of the mountain air. It didn’t belong to her, however. It cascaded from something else.

It was close.

Then, in a rush of shadow, the light began to return to what had darkened momentarily. The vibration within her system fled along with it and she could breathe again. Still, the question remained. What had been there among the trees? Had it been something, or was Rey losing her mind? A brand-new place could possibly do something like that to someone. She didn’t expect it to happen to her. Maybe she needed a nap. Or to clear her head. Either way, she needed to do something.

She turned, about to retrace her steps, when something caught her eye. Deeply pressed in the sparkling snow, was the largest print she had ever seen. Young shoots of grass yellowed by the ack of sunshine, unwrinkled themselves toward the sky. There were many others, trailing so close to where she had been and disappearing off into the dark wood. The animal that had left them had been heavy, Rey figured as much.

A creeping feeling prickled across her skin. She shivered despite the cold, her eyes following the path of prints until they vanished inside the dense wood. She had never seen prints such as those. A description of what they seemed to resemble evaded her. She didn’t dare move to see if there were anymore. All that was, all that she wished to see, was within her eyeline and out in the open. Shaking her head, she loosened her muscles before setting off down the path she had taken. Maybe, she thought, they were just distorted by the breeze. The fluffy snow must have shifted while the animal lurked in the shadows.

Either way, she could sense the foreboding feeling of immense danger rolling around her. Something within the forest depths warned her against further passage. She could sense the darkness from moments before as it slithered among the shadows and crept along the pure white snow. It breathed malice and the trees groaned against its presence. She could feel the thing, whatever it was, glaring back. It watched her, marking her every movement. If she were to push forward as she wished, it would make a move.

Something she chose to avoid.

Rey shook her head of the nasty thoughts. What was she doing? Thinking of scary things in the dark mirrored children in their beds. Sure, she wasn’t a fan of the dark. However, the blinding white snow proved to provide enough light to illuminate all corners of the wood. Further beyond, though, she knew such shadows existed. She also knew she would never dive that far into the woods to even reach them. A silent promise to herself.

Rey spared a glance to the sky, noticing ominous clouds rolling in the distance. Giant, grey things bringing forth the thundering blizzard she had been warned about. If there were any sign to leave, it would have been that. With another look toward the path of animals prints, she sighed and turned to leave the area at a run.  Puffs of hot breath escaped her chilled lips as she panted. A bitter wind began to rise, stirring snow into sparkling dust. The frozen needles of the pines above her head whispered against the shrill wind. Rey shivered, the cold piercing through her coat.

The trip seemed much longer as she slowed to a trot. As soon she made it to her half way point, large fluffy flakes were beginning to fall. She felt the chill race down her spine and the wind begin to increase its velocity. Her eyes searched the sky, noticing how the deep grey clouds had approached with not so much as a second thought. They were in the distance one minute, then upon her in a flash.

Rey’s lighthearted admiration of the billowing flakes began to change as fast as the swift alteration of the weather. Soon, the biting coldness speared the fabric of her running clothes. The air twirled with the wafting flurries. Her anxiety rose with the lancing gale as her vision became impaired by white. Rey continued at her trot, attempting to keep her body heat up and limbs moving to resist the bitter cold. Of course, a part of her knew it wouldn’t work. Still, she needed to try.

Before long, she couldn’t even see. The wind tore at her hair, sending whips lashing across her cheeks. She wiped them from her vision, knowing full well it wouldn’t help her at that point. Fear struck her through, lancing her heart like the icy spikes forming upon the swaying trees. The bitter wetness soaked her through to the bone, her teeth chattering through her skull to send course shivers up and down her spine. With panic-stricken tears rolling down her face, she broke into another run. She kept running, ignoring everything she could to find what she needed. Of course, she had no idea where to go. The white out before her only served as a confusing mess.

She couldn’t be any more of an idiot, she told herself. She should have listened to the lady at the inn. She should not have taken that run. However, because of her stubborn streak, she had taken the run. At that moment, she was anything but safe. Wind whipped her hair in nasty, icy threads across her brow. Hot tears froze upon her lashes, shed by panic and the overwhelming urge to scream. She couldn’t think, she couldn’t process how to act.

All she could do was run.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Stay tuned for the next chapter!


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoy!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! Im blown away by all of the kudos and comments so far! Thank you!

**“There is no such thing as accident; it is fate misnamed.”**

**-Napoleon Bonaparte**

 

            The wind shifted, rustling the leaves into a frenzied whisper. The scent upon the air seemed different, much different than what he had nosed earlier. It reeked of something. For the life of him, he couldn’t place it. Grumbling to himself, he pushed forward toward the source. He knew something wasn’t right. Something was off, but what was it? There were no other animals among the wood that smelled as this one did. He only assumed it to be one since nothing else dared enter at this time of season.

The crunch of snow beneath his paws sank down deep, pad brushing the newborn grass beneath the heavy wetness. He felt the chill seep between his toes, but he had gotten used to it this winter. Plodding through the god forsaken snow seemed to be the only thing he did to pass the time of days now. It was the only thing he _could_ do to keep his sanity. However, he knew he lost most of it long ago.

                Scenting the air once again, he treaded onward. Using an arm to brush aside low handing branches, he kept his nose to the wind. His interest remained impassive, the daily spikes of a new being flitting in the trees the same as the shifting of the winds. It happened, and it kept happening. There was nothing new. It only deemed unrecognizable, but he had scented many of the same before. All he had to do was see for himself how normal everything was.

                However, he couldn’t deny the initial feeling that something seemed off. Sure, it was normal for a creature to smell different. Various creatures passed through the wood many times a day. They would sense him and flee. Then everything would go back to what it had been. However, this scent seemed strong. The potent smell wafted in waves across each living thing he crossed paths with. They, too, seemed to wonder on its whereabouts and were unsure of how to react. It was up to him to find out, to put order to the wood and weed out what would place it in disarray.

                For that was his purpose, he remembered. That was the very reason he appeared the way he did. He was what he was because of what he had done. It was that simple. Now, his days were long and dreary. Slaving away to maintain order was what he had sacrificed for.

                Suddenly, he halted. Gripping the nearest trunk of a pine, his step faltered. His nose burned with the foreign scent. Eyes watering from the potent smell, he bit back the urge to buckle. He had never scented something such as this, and he figured he never would. It occurred to him that the source was not just some ordinary passerby.

                Nothing was this intoxicating.

                Sage and honeysuckle, he noticed, burned itself into his nostrils. He knew immediately how alien the scent was. It was something he had never experienced. Smooth waves of honey and gold seemed to ripple across his flesh. Hair on end, he blinked back the unshed tears. He drank it the air, the sweet scent bathing his insides with a warmth he had never known. His heart pounded against his ribcage as he clutched his chest tightly. Panting, he focused as best he could on where to go.

                His eyes roved the snow before him, catching sight of something quite odd littered upon the stark white. They were human prints, spread farther apart than someone who seemed to be simply walking. His ears perked, listening to the quaint sound of birds. They spoke of something in the wood and his keen hearing tuned in like a radio. Their chirps and cackling gossip deemed useful.

                There _was_ something off.

                The twittering birds spoke of a human, hastening through the quiet wood so fast. Nothing had seemed wrong at the time, they told each other. The human only seemed content to run. He couldn’t blame them. He could sense the elation rushing through him as well, recalling his favorite past time. It caused his blood to boil with anticipation, the eager sensation to join the running human as they sailed through the wood coursing through his pounding veins. It took him away from everything that caused him grief.

                He knew he couldn’t escape his fate. The fate he sealed himself. It was too much to ask, but he knew just how hard it would be to break what he had dealt. If he were to break such a pact, it would mean death to those he cared for. He didn’t wish his curse upon anyone, especially those who held his heart. There weren’t many who did, but his mother and father were the only ones who knew his intentions.

                A particular tweet drew him from his melancholy thoughts.

                “There is a storm brewing…” They said. “Looks nasty. We will have to bed down early tonight.”

                Were they correct? Could there be a freak storm upon the horizon?

                Lifting his nose to the air, he inhaled deeply. It seared the sensitive hairs within, the new scent paired with the normal wafting aroma of pine and winter tickled the tender hairs within. However, there was something else. The spike of danger flying forward on icy wings. His keen ears heard the rustling of a storm brewing in the distance. It only meant what the birds had stated. Another storm raged toward them. With it came thick ice and fluffy flakes. This storm, he sensed, held much greater things than the tiny flakes from the previous storms.

                The powerful snowstorm hurriedly sped toward them, much faster than any squall he had ever experienced. It only meant it would be upon his area momentarily. He needed to leave, hunker down inside his remote cabin to wait out the blizzard he feared the tempest to become. However, he couldn’t let the subject of the human go. They were in his wood, and they were trespassing. The path they headed down was nothing short of dangerous.

                He traveled further down the trail littered with the strange prints, noticing how they seemed to close in together. He figured the human to have slowed their run. The air burned with the new scent, his nostrils flaring to drink it in entirely. The further down the path he went, the deeper the scent. Before long, he knew the human to be close by the thickness of their smell within the stirring air.

                He slowed his steady pace, feeling a tingle crawl across his skin. The heavy scent only heightened the pounding of his heart. He had never smelled something so enticing, so strong. It dripped from every icy branch and slipped itself between every crevice. The snow gleamed despite the pale clouds beginning their descent overhead.

                He heard another noise, a steady breathing belonging to nothing else but the being he had sought. He halted, using the large trunk of a pine to hide himself. Of course, he didn’t wish to be seen. If a human laid eye upon his form, they would be struck to death in fear. It had happened since the curse had befallen him. No one met his gaze the same. He was nothing but a monster.

                Just a horrid beast.

                Someone sighed, the sound of it causing stirrings within his heart. They were odd movements, that of which had never occurred. As he peered around the trunk, he kept to the shadows and allowed them to bathe him in darkness. His eyes lit upon the figure before him, his breath stopped, and the air stood still.

                The birds had failed to mention the fact that the human was female. He slunk a few inches from her slender back, the dark running clothes clinging to everything on her muscular form and leaving nothing for the imagination. Her breaths came in short bursts, no doubt the run leaving her adjusting to the new elevation. He had never seen her. She was an outsider.  She did not come from the area and if she had, he knew he could never ignore her.

                Like splinters, her entire being lodged itself in his soul. She illuminated the pale snow around her, the animals peering from their hideouts to see the newest visitor. As he remembered, the birds had chirped so much about the foreigner. He hadn’t realized how interested their voices had been. It seems he never really paid much heed to anything, but his own world and the tasks laid before him.

                He couldn’t ignore her or what she did to his environment. The light of her aura cast everything in warmth. It brightened and bewildered his darkness, stirred things within him he hadn’t ever felt. The gripping of his core, the thundering of his heart, concerned him. Against his better judgement, he stepped forward into the light.

                Into _her_ light.

                A warmth spread like the heat of a fire. It crawled up his arm, the sensation sending shivers down his spine. Hair stood erect at the nape of his neck and everything seemed to freeze. Carefully, he padded forward toward the girl. He needn’t make a sound as not to spook her. His captivation would only get him in trouble, which he didn’t wish to dabble in.  

                She moved. His nerves fired, instinct kicking in before he could think. The shadows greeted him like an old friend. It wreathed him in its embrace, but the comfort he felt while bathing in her aura didn’t recede. He could feel the tickle of heat linger upon his skin, the once welcome sensation of cold now just a mild discomfort. Still, it annoyed him.

                As if her scent hadn’t knocked his world into a twirling mess, he wasn’t prepared for what was to come. Her back had been to him the entire time. Then, she turned, and time halted. The wind ceased, and so did his breathing. That entire moment burned itself into his brain as his dark eyes set themselves upon her face.

                She was beautiful in ever sense of the word.

                Her hazels bit into his core, sending bits of her being lancing under his skin to burrow deep into his heart. They struck him, bottomless and flecked with gold as they starred in confusion at the prints he had left behind. How stupid could he be to leave a trace of his existence?

                Her skin was tinged slightly, a contrast to the blinding white of the snow. She was from somewhere much different than his simple mountain city. Her eyes were determined, set fierce against the biting wind.  Plump pink lips were slightly parted, releasing the rushed breath of her run. He found his gaze lingering there for a moment, knowing full well he was insane.

                His eyes roved over the rest of her own widened to large circles. They enthralled him for a moment, his mind getting lost within the deep pools of molten honey. She scanned the area before her, taking in the traces of his idiocy like she had never seen prints of his nature before. Of course, hadn’t. There wasn’t another creature like him except for the others who he had sold his soul to.

                Her cheeks flushed for a moment. She shook her head to rid herself of what she could see, following the tracks to where he lay in the shadows. Her long, auburn ponytail fell over her shoulder as she leaned forward to gaze down the path she had come from. She lifted her eyes to the sky, noticing the rolling storm coming fast upon them. These movements were fluid, her innocent demeanor curious to him. However, the rush of sudden fear crippled his resolve. That emotion didn’t belong to him.   

                Even though he didn’t much care for the affairs of others, he found himself drawn to the girl’s actions. By watching her, he could see her brightness and her beauty were enough to move the tattered thing he called a heart. So, it staggered him to feel an urge to roar at her. He wished to warn her of the ominous blizzard about to befall them. It seemed, though, she already felt the need to run back to where she had come from. She turned from him and rushed down the path in which she came, leaving him to his darkness and confusing thoughts.

                The wind began to rise, wailing in his ears and berating his senses with new scents and sounds. He found himself running after the girl, instincts on high alert to see where she would end up. The first fluffy flakes of snow began to fall lightly upon him, the sudden increase in velocity the wind provided sending the harmless flakes into a swirling cyclone. He pushed himself faster, admiring her pace. For a human, she was fast.

                Then, the storm began to hit. Its power and rage fell suddenly upon them. With the gale twirling the icy dust within the air, he found his vision impaired. The girl, too, seemed lost. She was at a disadvantage, his keen hearing picking up her nervous breaths and thundering heart. If she were to go any further, he felt, she would become that in which he wished she wouldn’t. A lost human being meant trouble for him. He was sworn to keep their kind from the wood, and therefore, he would. At that moment in time, though, he was already failing.

                If he were being honest, he didn’t quite feel as if it were his mission entirely. The pull he felt upon his heart was odd. He hadn’t felt anything like it previously. So, denial seemed to proper way to approach the situation. Still, as her aura faded, and the waves of her fear rolled along with the dusting snow, he couldn’t stop his limbs from blowing through the building drifts to find her. He couldn’t fight the urge to provide some sort of assistance, no matter how small.

                Why? He thought. Why on earth would he save a silly human? She had chosen to get lost within his wood. Why would he help her out of it? That answer, he realized, was not an easy one to acquire. Her time was running out, though, and if he didn’t act fast, her blood was on his hands.

He knew he had more than his fair share of that.

 

****

Rey’s breaths came short, the puffs of steam leaving her body the only source of heat she could see. Her hammering heart did little to quell the shattering realization that she was in danger. The wind ripped at her clothes and hair, sending spikes of cold through her body like splinters. Tears of anguish and sorrow froze down her pale cheeks as she sobbed silently at her own demise.

How could she have been so foolish? She was so stupid as to think a sudden storm like this could be escaped from. Holdo had been right to warn her and she should have been smart enough to heed it. Now, she was paying dearly for her folly.

Rey found shelter in the cover of a nearby pine. The girth of its trunk served as a decent wind break. She clung to it, trembling fingers digging into its sticky bark. The wind rapped harshly against its boughs, sending icy needles raining down upon the huddled human. She barred her head with her arms, waiting for the harsh gusts to halt their constant assault.

The snap of something brought her attention to right above her head. Through the limited visibility, she narrowed her eyes at a trembling branch. Another gust of wind hit the tree once again, the ear-splitting crack from above signaling the sudden danger she was in again. The branch she eyed suddenly dropped downward, stopping midfall. Rey only assumed the branch to be handing on by threads of its own skin.

She couldn’t move. Paralyzed by her own terror, she watched as another hit from the storm shattered the remaining ties of the branch. It plummeted toward her, her eyes immediately closing and hands coming to protect her head from its impending fate. She prayed to everything, secretly told her family she loved them, and cursed herself for her stupidity. Had she known her life would come to this, she would have turned down the vacation offer from her boss.

Through her closed eyes, she heard nothing. Through the darkness behind her lids, she felt nothing. At first, she thought herself dead. There had been no pain, only the raucous roar of the wind slamming the trunk of her barrier. So, Rey assumed death had not come upon swift wings to end her. She wouldn’t still be cold. The world froze in that moment, rivaling the blizzard numbing her limbs. She waited with bated breath for anything to occur. Not a thing did, and Rey cracked an eye to take a peak.

A low grunt reached her ears, heavy breathing followed. She gazed in awe at a large, black form inches from her. Heat rolled in waves from the massive figure, what appeared to be fur covering every inch of it. It stood tall, broad shoulders spanning much wider than any person she had met. The cracked limb that had come so close to knocking her for a loop, she noticed, lay at least twenty feet from them. Smashed bits of the wood indicated the creature before her had gripped the thing tight.

Fear began doing the same to her heart. The thing before her cut the breathing, stiffening as it began to slowly turn toward her. Her terror caused her eyes to slam shut once again, unable to crush it and look her savior in the face. Whatever it was, Rey thought, she didn’t need to see it. If it were there to consume her, she would need to run again. In the blizzard, options for escape were few and far between. She was willing to take whatever she could, though. She needed to live.

The sensation of comfort washed over her as did the waves of heat. The wind blurred into the background and only the sounds of her breathing mixed with another could be heard. The steady pounding of two hearts seemed to create a beautiful melody. Rey wished for it to continue, to place the song on repeat until she grew tired of it. Rey couldn’t identify where these feelings had come from. They were not hers for she only felt the stinging burn of the cold on her toes and fingers. She found the foreign entity soothing, ridding her of her fears for a moment. She knew something stood before her. Its hot breath caressed her face lightly, warming her cheeks and fanning across her forehead.  She wanted to open her eyes, to see what source produced such a feeling.

It was too late. The warmth left her, the cold slinking back quickly onto her exposed skin. Her eyes opened to blinding snow flurries, the large figure gone. Rey shivered violently, the wet chill seeping deep within her bones. Attempting to stand, the girl gripped the trunk of the tree as hard as she could. The charging wind continued to hit, but Rey felt their force begin to weaken. This gave the girl hope and she inhaled the cold, burning air.

She was strong. She needed to move or suffer from freezing to death. If she could only make down the path, or see it, she would be able to get to her truck. The thought of a long, scalding hot shower pushed her forward. The hope to feel warmth upon her entire body enticed a strength within she had never witnessed. She was strong. She was resilient.

She was Rey Kenobi and she would survive.

Paw prints, barely visible thanks to the new fallen snow, littered the ground at her feet. Where once she was, there now were many tracks. They were large and inhuman, yet resembled something like a foot. She remembered them from earlier, knowing not the source. Her fear bit at her resolve, but she dared not linger her thoughts there. She needed to move. To survive.

Muggy sunlight began penetrating through the thick clouds and billowing flurries. She shielded her eyes against the sparse light, feeling the slight warmth of the sun’s rays upon her frozen limbs. More hope came, pressing her forward. The path, she saw, lay untainted by her run only moments before. Still, it was something and Rey smiled, breaking the numbness of her face.

Soon, she was thrilled to notice the storm fall away. Sparkling diamonds of ice glinted in the shafting sunlight. Her elation bled into her steps as she hurriedly trotted down the path and to her awaiting escape. She didn’t notice anything but what lay ahead, feeling her limbs come to life as she continued to move. Crunching snow echoed across the quiet, the calm after the storm blanketing the area like the newly fallen snow.

Maybe, Rey thought, the entire experience was just a lesson. She would listen to the receptionist’s warnings next time. That would be the smart thing to do. She would go for her runs, but when the sun shone high in the sky and cut through the cold drifts. Now, though, she tread forward with purpose and strength. Her shoes were soaked through, toes chilled to the core. This didn’t stop her, thought. Nothing would.

When she was little, she had always been labeled hard headed and stubborn. Her fire melted anyone’s stoic composition. With her upbringing, she had to be. Her parents died while she was young. In their stead, her grandfather cared for her as if she were his own. They were close, but the man wove stories of dark creatures and how they still existed. So, among the people in the small town they lived in, her grandfather was stamped as a crazy old goon. She had to fight for her place anywhere, and it took years to get to where she was now.

Of course, her grandfather still spoke of creatures only stories brought to life. He said they were real, living among people in disguise. At one time, Rey believed him. Then, she grew up. With that, she realized the work it took to surpass the label she had been given. She found her calling helping those in need, even though retail wasn’t much of a going concern. It was something to bide the time, she figured. She pursued school for a bit, but that served to be too expensive. So, she took a break.

Rey wished she could go back, even for a bit. She missed her friends and her grandfather dearly. Home called to her like her favorite song, but where she was seemed to fit at that moment. Her grandfather, even though he thought Big Foot real, was the wisest man she knew. He would tell her she was smart for biding the time she was given. Nothing would come to someone who sat and waited. So, she built a foundation for herself and her grandfather. She vowed to make those who thought she would never amount to anything watch in awe as she strived upon a shining pedestal. That pedestal, she knew, would not involve riches or fancy things.

It would be respect. Those around her would know her by name and they would call for her when they needed her aid. She had pondered on many careers that helped people. Doctors, counselors, and everything alike. Nothing seemed right, though. Until she discovered teaching. Teaching served as a tool to help those in need but spread the help to others as well. She found its allure appealing and that was what she wished to do.

Children seemed to adore her as well.

A sudden sensation of being watched drew Rey from her ponderings. She halted her stride, starring ahead at the crisp snowfall. Her eyes roved the area, seeing nothing but now laden branches bending with their new loads. Everything was quiet and serene, no noise but her breathing to break the quiet. She realized she hadn’t noticed how amazing her surroundings were. The very sight of sparkling snow and shafting sunlight glinting from the surface of the drifts caused her to smile again.

Even through everything that had occurred, she could still find some sort of solace. Even if that beauty almost cost her life, she would respect the hand that dealt it and appreciate the splendor that hand created. It was hard not to. Glistening snow drifts draped themselves half way up tall trunks of the trees, swirling dust of glittering snow the only thing that remained of the horrid gusts from before. It bewildered her how fast the land changed.

The trail lilted to the left, a little farther than she anticipated the trek to be. Of course, she had run most of the way. Things blurred once she was set in motion. Still, a feeling of dread wrapped its inky fingers around her heart. She couldn’t shake the sensation of being watched, but there was another budding feeling as well. Something was about to happen, and she was, yet again, going to be caught in the midst of it.

She rounded the curve and her heart plummeted to her feet. 

“Hello, little mouse. Did you miss me?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cliffhanger!  
> Sorry but not sorry!  
> Stay tuned for more!


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hold on to your seats. Its about to get real!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! Thanks for following and all the awesome comments you're leaving! You guys are amazing!

**“I can be changed by what happens to me. But I refuse to be reduced by it.”**

**-Maya Angelou, Letter to My Daughter**

 

The shafting sun warmed his fur, a feeling he hadn’t noticed until the storm had passed. As a matter of fact, he didn’t notice much of his surroundings after what he had witnessed. What he had done earlier captured his attentions as well. Everything was a blur, impossible for comprehension. Yet, it had happened. He had done it.

He was lucky.

His mind wondered to her vulnerable figure under the cover of a pine. Her shaking form wracked with fear and cold tugged at the shriveled organ he called a heart. Had she been anyone else, he would have left her. He didn’t dabble in the affairs of humans. He couldn’t unless they trespassed or broke the rules. Then, he would act. It wasn’t pretty, but it was what he was ordered to do.

It had been _her_ , though. And for some reason, he couldn’t leave her to perish in the storm. Her strength and resolve was enough to cause him to falter. Could she survive on her own and amongst the deadly rushing of the blizzard winds? In the back of his mind, he agreed she could. Yet, he didn’t move. He watched her struggle, his interior doing the same.

What could he offer her? warmth? No, she would run in fear. Shelter? She would die before he reached his cabin. No one entered there, only himself. Then, what could he do? At a loss for anything, he stood there in the shadows. The harsh winds whipped around him, pushing his bulk against a nearby tree. These were the nastiest he had seen. Many storms occurred in the mountains. The wood stood and protected what he couldn’t. The current storm bit through the barrier, lancing the terrain with its wrath.

A loud snap from above caught his attention. His dark eyes traveled the length of the tree upward in time to spot a heavily ladened branch buckle under its new load. With eyes wide, his muscles tensed. Placing a foot forward, he watched with anticipation. Occasionally, his gaze would drop to the girl whose eyes focused on the very limb he monitored. Why wasn’t she moving if she sensed the danger she was in? The thunderous winds busted against the trunk of her hideout, beating into him as hard as it could.

The limb buckled more, the remaining strands that kept it at bay finally snapping. The heavy object plummeted toward the girl and he burst forth with unknown speed. Everything flashed before his eyes as his own fingers wrapped around the girth of the limb in mid leap, his landing only breaths away from the girl’s shivering form. With a roar lost to the gale, he flung the thing as far away as he could. It crashed into the snow, the broken bark upon its surface proof of his strength.

Then, the world paused. His hot breath came in hurried puffs as he regained his composer. He felt her heat behind him homed into her breathing. She could see him, or at least part of him. For a moment, all he could think of was her reaction. He felt her sudden surprise as if it were lodged in the back of his own mind. He felt her fear subside for a second, the sensation of awe not entirely his.

He tensed, the muslces in his back hardeneing with the weight of her gaze. For some reason, his skin crawled under her eyes. He made to turn to her, wanting to see her so close for the first time. For whatever reason, he couldn’t explain. He could feel her aura surround him, the warmth caressing his touch starved skin like the beams of sunlight after the first frosts of winter. He wished to bathe in her warmth, to remain there in her buzzing atmosphere. It made him feel alive again after what seemed like eons of darkness and cold.

He towered over her shaking form as he gazed down upon her. Up close, he could drown in her scent. It intoxicated him, made his head swim. Logic seemed to retreat, instinct coming toward the forefront. He longed to burry his nose in her hair to drink in the sweet honeysuckle and sage. It was dangerous to fight the boiling within.

Faint peaks of sunlight glinted form her auburn hair. Bits of caramel and honey wove strands within the dark locks. The hazy light tickled her pores, highlighting freckles sprayed upon rosy cheeks. Her hands were worn from work, long fingers splayed before her for protection. He could have scoffed. He would never harm her. Something inside kept him from doing so. It both horrified and intrigued him.

                The moment flashed briefly, his body reacting to the sudden change of the weather. The winds died down, allowing the quiet to begin its normal routine. Without taking his eyes from the girl, he bounded away into the shadows before her eyes flew open. He watched as those warm hazels grazed over her surroundings and he cursed himself again at his senselessness for leaving proof of his existence. That eased a bit by watching her. The releife of being alive read plain as day upon her face. This brought him a sense of pride.  She was alive because of him.

                But Snoke would know, and he would be punished.

                He was brought back to the fateful meetings between him and Snoke. Snoke was cruel and unjust, demanding the wood be protected for fear of discovery. This startled the new recruit as he made his way from the girl toward the cabin he called home. Snoke’s demands for refuge in the forest were meaningless. But Snoke was not the one who sold his soul to protect his family. That had been _his_ mistake.

                Now, he was called Kylo Ren. The Dark Beast. He had forgotten his given name, knowing not where it had come from or who had given it to him. Maybe his mother had named him, but that part he didn’t remember either. Nothing came to mind when it pertained to his past. All he knew was the fact he had a family. They were a constant reminder of the price it took to protect them. He knew of his pact as well, remembering the great pain that sliced through his body as the curse wrapped around his soul to shrivel his heart into the nasty, lifeless thing it was now.

                He remembered what Snoke had told him that day. Of what was to become of their new agreement.

                “Until someone calls you by your given name, you will remain my slave. No one knows you anymore.” Snoke had said. “You are nothing but a child in a mask now.”

                Kylo figured Snoke had rid his existence from the minds of those he once knew. The curse itself had taken its toll the fateful night he agreed to its demanding decree. Now, he roamed the mountainside by the light of the full moon. During the day, he would sleep. At night, he would roam. A slave to the silver orb within the sky.

                A Moon Child.

                Since the curse, Snoke labeled him as the Guardian of the North Wood. There was a secret needing to be protected and Kylo figured it to be the true nature of his master. There were others like Kylo, but they could change of their own free will. They held the curse as a gift. Kylo only knew it to be a burden. Still, there were things he used of his power he couldn’t use as a human. He hardly even remembered what it was like to be without keen senses of smell, sight, and touch. The others could walk freely among the town, but Kylo could not. His curse was unpredictable, and he didn’t dare show his face to those who used to know him.

                Yet, he found himself wondering the wood during the daylight hours. It confused him that morning when his urge to trek across to the boarder rushed to the forefront. He had never once desired to leave the fortress of his solitude. He didn’t much like the sunlight, choosing to remain within the walls of his cabin until the moon peaked high within the sky. On the full moon, his curse took effect. He would remain such until its bloated state diminished. Then, he would return to that in which he had been.

                At least, that was how it used to be.

                However, things had changed. Even during the daylight hours and the times when the moon wasn’t so full, he found his body remaining as it had been during the full moon. This had been a recent change and one he wished wouldn’t be as such. He missed his own skin and the way it felt to be covered with a blanked to soft. Yet, his fur covered body remained that way almost for a month now. It annoyed him.

                Something dark stirred within the area. He nosed the air, ears swiveling to listen. A loud hum, deafening to his keen hearing, vibrated against the trees. Spots of snow fell upon his head as the vibrations continued. A shadowy aura sapped the light from his surroundings, and Kylo knew immediately who had arrived.

                A man stepped before him, clad in large coat and black slacks. His bald head gleamed in the faint sunlight, a pair of dark shades set upon a crooked nose. A gold cane handle clasped between wiry fingers clicked with annoyance. Kylo felt the immense emotion upon the cold air, icier than anything set around him. Snoke was angry.

                “Young Ren,” Snoke growled, “You haven’t changed back yet. Very interesting. I was surprised to see your form lumbering among the trees.”

                Kylo’s eyes fell to his feet. “It’s been like this for under a month now, sir.”

“Hmm…” The man pondered. “Seeing you like this, I didn’t expect you out and about during the day. What drew you from your solitude, boy?”

                Kylo grit his fangs, biting his tongue. “I was only scouting the boarder. Nothing more.”

                Snoke scoffed, tapping long fingers upon the gilded gold of his cane handle. “You know it is discouraging to hear you lie. Tell me, what was your real reason on coming out?”

                Kylo felt the power of his master radiate thickly within the snow dusted air. He could resist for so long until he tired and fell weak. The man, the monster, before him held too much strength. Kylo hoped someday he would surpass this evil man and defeat him. Until then, he only hoped a day would come he could rid himself of the curse.

                “There was something amiss and I decided to see what it was.” Kylo stated. It wasn’t too far from the truth.

                Snoke rose a thin brow. His face bore scars of his previous life, the one in which Kylo now lived. “I see. Who is she?”

                Kylo froze. He knew and that horrified him.

                Looking down, Kylo shook his head. “I do not know, sir.”

                “Curious,” Snoke stroked his chin. “Very curious. You do know you did not perform your duties well because of her. I say she is a distraction. Those need to be eliminated. See to it your personal interests do not get in the way of your mission.”

                “By the grace of your training,” Kylo quoted words Snoke repeated to him constantly. “I will not be seduced.”

                “We shall see.” Snoke smirked, turning to leave. “You seem to have too much of your father’s heart in you. So, we shall see.”

                With that, he was gone. The air brightened and Kylo could breathe once again. The nipping breeze brought forth other chattering from animals as soon as Snoke left. It wasn’t a surprise to see him. He wondered the area from time to time, checking his progress. It was annoying, really, but there wasn’t much Kylo could do.

                Shaking his head, he turned away from where his master stood and moved forward. Thoughts of a blazing fire and the warmth of his cabin gave him the strength he needed to push through the newly distributed drifts. His paws began to ache from the strenuous meandering. His brain did the same, but from the miles it had gone to keep certain thoughts from it. The girl, his curse, and many more. They all seemed to grip his core tight enough to suffocate him.

                White hot fear sliced through his entire being. He buckled, crashing hard face first into the cold snow. He writhed through the powder, feeling the lancing horror erupt like flames in his interior. However, it wasn’t his own anguish he felt. It was someone else’s entirely. Someone, somewhere, shared in his agony. They were, without a doubt, the ones being dealt the upsets.

                Faint screaming reached his ears. A red, taught string stained with the blood of another burned itself in his brain. The scent of honeysuckle and sage ripped at his nostrils, tainted by the acrid smell of others like him. Immediately, his fur bristled. She was there, but so were some of his kind. What were they doing so far from their boarders? This was his territory to patrol as he wished. They were trespassing and Snoke would be angry.

                Maybe, Snoke put them up to it.

                It didn’t matter, Kylo thought quickly. She was in danger and their scents in such close quarters with hers was _not_ a coincidence. They were there for a reason. Among the overpowering smell hung one that made his blood boil. He felt his entire body tense, preparing to burst through the large drifts of snow in search of her and her attackers.

                It didn’t matter if Snoke knew about the girl. What mattered was keeping her safe. The reason, Kylo thought, was unknown. If he let her die, he would only be just as bad at those who dealt him the curse. So, with a heated burst of hot air, he drank in a large breath and roared. The sound echoed against the trees and he shot forward with breakneck speed.

                Toward the others and toward the one he envisioned to protect, seething with a rage he hadn’t known to possess.

****

                Rey stiffened at the sight of the pale, red haired man before her. She recognized him instantly from the bar, and her fear deepened at the lack of Chewie’s presence. She had been right to think there wasn’t always going to be someone there to keep her safe. She knew she would see the red head again. His eyes had burned holes through her, the same as they did now. She felt the heat of his gaze, the intentions behind those pale eyes. Her skin crawled, the cold biting her core as it tingled with horror.

                “Did you think you could slip away so easily, little mouse?” The red head spat, a nasty grin forming upon his insipid face. “You can’t run away from me. Your scent is too intoxicating.”

                _What?_

                “I don’t want any trouble,” She threw at him. Her voice threatened to tremble.

                “I know you don’t.” He smiled. It didn’t reach his eyes. “But I want you and I will have you.”

                Rey’s entire body froze solid. The deep fire within the red head’s eyes was enough to set her ablaze in the most horrible way. He wasn’t joking. This much she could discern from the very timbre of his voice. The depth in which it rattled her bones sent shivers down her spine despite the heat she felt. However, she needed to tell herself not to fear. Sure, she was alone with three men who could easily hurt her. If she were being honest, she would tell herself she had no chance.

                Then again, her stubborn side begged to differ. Those men didn’t look too harsh. If she could just…

                She was lying, though. There was no way she could defeat them by herself. She needed strength ten times that of what she processed. She didn’t have that, and she knew it would be her end. She still held her ability to run, though. She could still push through the drifts and far from them. She eyed the area around her with the briefest flick of her gaze, hiding the fact she searched for an exit from her hunters.  

                “You want me?” She asked. “You barely know me.”

                The red head sneered, yellowed teeth glinting in the sunlight. “Oh, but your smell tells me everything.”

                Rey glanced over her shoulder. “What exactly does it tell you?”

                His eyes darkened. “How about I show you?”

                With that, a fierce growl escaped as he lurched toward her. With hastened speed and planned skill, Rey dodged the attacker and swerved away from his passes. Her already soaked feet buried deep with the new drifts. This slowed her, but no enough to feel the grasp of the men behind her. She heard them cry, their deep baritones lost as she blasted forward and as far away from them as possible.

                The time was now. So, she ran.

Rey’s mind raced, drowning all sound as she pushed herself forward. Trunks of trees kept her escape painfully obscured. With each dip and weave, she came close to losing her footing or bashing herself against the sappy bark. She pressed herself forward, her legs pumping harder than she had ever done. Her lungs burned with the ice and effort, her body screaming at the agony of overwork.

                They were behind her. She felt their nasty presence and the crunch of snow under their large feet. Occasionally, she felt the rush of their hot breath upon the nape of her neck. Growls and snarls sounded behind her they drew close. She would push harder than ever at the feeling, leaving them behind in a cloud of snow dust. However, she couldn’t keep going as such. She knew her body would give soon. The pain flooding her muscles and internal organs almost became unbearable. She needed a break, a diversion. Something to stop the rush and pause the chase.

                Her break presented itself in the form of fallen log over a large, dark crevasse. The drop fell many feet to a cold stream, crisp water rush over smooth stones. Having done many types of running exercises in the past, Rey’s sporty background shone brightly as she scampered across the beam of rotting wood. She hoped it didn’t give way. It creaked under her berating steps, her heart thrusting itself into her throat. Everything went smoothly as it could be. Until she reached the end.

                The whole world shifted, and Rey screamed. The sound echoed from the limbs of the overhead trees as the girl fell fast downward. Her hands franticly attempted to grip something, anything, to hold and avoid a nasty broken limb at the bottom. Clammy fingers met a sturdy root, gripping as hard and fast as she could. The momentum in which she processed pushing her body to collide hard into the bank, the remains of her log falling below with a loud crash. She felt the sting of splinters, mud smearing upon her cheeks and arms. It was cold, much colder than the icy air surrounding her.

                She glanced at the opposite bank, hugging the large root for dear life. Her hunters stopped short of the drop, sending tiny avalanches of dirt and debris cascading down the root entangled wall. Their faces contorted into looks of disdain and frustration, inhuman roars ringing upon the quiet air. It was then Rey noticed how different their eyes appeared to be. They weren’t normal, like a regular human eye. Penetrating, red tinged irises split through the cold, lancing daggers into her skin just as sharp as the shards of wood imbedded there already.

                “Come on, girl.” The red head roared. “Why are you running? Come to us and stop this nonsense.”

                “Never!” Rey declared, using the root as a rope to begin her ascent upward. The snow felt reassuring as she pushed herself onto the opposing bank. She heard the cackles and coos from behind her, not daring to meet their gaze. Instead, she rushed onward and away from their nasty stares and otherworldly appearance. The feeling she received from them was anything but ordinary. They were something else.

                They were monsters.

                This caused fear to slice through her, pressing her forward with more speed than she anticipated herself having. Survival instinct set in, dialed by the very fact that the men behind her were far from being human. It was an odd thought, but one she couldn’t deny. When the sudden sound of feet crunching in snow met her ears, she turned to see her thought solidified.

                They had cleared the crevasse and were once again on her trail.

                The deep fire within their eyes now blazed with fury. The red head’s teeth flashed dangerously, and Rey swore they had lengthened a few centimeters. She didn’t have much time to observe, her instincts screaming at her to continue her escape. She didn’t, _couldn’t,_ stop. Everything told her she needed to _run_. Her life depended on it.

                However, a rush of fatigue decided to smack her then. Her legs gave way, feeling like jelly underneath the weight of everything she endured. Of course, it had to have happened as she slid down into a drift of snow. Everything buckled, and her face met the cold of the crisp powder. The tang of copper and water met her tongue as she figured herself to have bit her cheek. The warm blood filled her mouth and she spat the contents upon the stark white. It unnerved her to see the harsh contrast of her blood against the ice, but she didn’t have time to react much. Heavy footsteps approached, and she froze.

                “Give up, little mouse.” the horrid grating of his wicked tongue upon her ears made her stomach lurch. “Looks like your escape is for nothing.”

                Rey’s gaze met the man’s eyes. In that moment, she did notice the change in their physical appearance as well as their demeanor. Their eyes bore through her soul, gripping it with clawed fingers wrapped in fear. This fear tore through her entire being and she swore they could smell it. Her heart pounded against her rib cage, threatening to burst forth. If she let them, they would do that dirty work for her. There was no doubt something inhuman boiled underneath.

                “How about we take a bite, boys?” The red head asked of the other two behind him. Rey hadn’t paid much attention to the pair of thugs that had followed their flame haired confidant.

                Suddenly, tearing and screams echoed across the quiet wood as Rey observed the odd morphing from skin to fur. The two men behind the red head began enduring sudden changes. Bones cracked and creaked, splitting hide and epidermis to reveal long strands of hair. It glistened in the sunshine, an odd contrast to the serene beauty the light cast. Their agonizing roars split the peace of the wood as finger nails became claws, feet became paws, and tails sprouted where none were present before. Noses elongated into drooling jaws filled with pearly fangs. After the screams ceased, three pairs of amber eyes sliced their way toward her.

                One possessed red fur.

                A growl escaped the grinning muzzle of the red tinged creature, slobber oozing from his gums to pool at the snow at his front feet. They stood erect like humans, pointed ears fully alert and dangerous eyes narrowed toward her. Fur covered every inch of them as the three slowly rose from the ground and blocked out the sunlight attempting to sheet down upon the ice. Darkness seemed to fall upon the wood.

She couldn’t process what had taken place before her. Her entire life she believed there was nothing in existence as what gnashed their teeth before her. Her childhood lay filled with stories brimming to life with creatures like the three pacing around her. Maybe she was crazy. Maybe the lack of enough nutrients caused her brain, and her sight, to glitch. Maybe, just maybe, she wasn’t insane at all.

                Maybe her grandfather had been right.

                They barged toward her, bursting through the drifts to slash her with their gleaming claws. Rey dodged them in the nick of time, feeling the heat of their horrid breath upon her neck. The red furred creature skidded to a stop, spraying powder into the golden rays of the waning sun. His heaving sides rose and fell with the effort of his pursuit. Rey didn’t know how long she could last against three, feeling her body beginning to fail her.

                The others readied themselves for their final attack, and she braced herself with ferocious eyes of defiance. The horrid animals surrounded her like vultures, their sluggish foot falls berated her senses. She was already dead, she thought. Maybe that had been her fate all along. Grandfather spoke of a red string connecting those who were bound to meet and share something purposeful together. That red string she never found. It never existed in her life. Unless it had been there, invisible to her eyes, she could not feel its pull.

                Until she met the black beast from before.

                Now, she figured, she wouldn’t ever see it. Not with the boring eyes of the wicked organisms before her. She felt her awareness begin to fade, black edging her vison. Her breaths came short, the thumping of blood coursing through her veins the only sign she wasn’t dead. On the edge of life and unconsciousness, she could feel the chill air warp and mingle with the heat of her skin. It tickled her senses and teased her, something close to peace reaching toward her to bring her into its embrace.

                Another growl reached her, much closer this time than before. The rancid breath of the beast beside her caused her to shiver despite the chill inching up her spine and seeping into her limbs. White hot pain lanced through her shoulder, causing her to scream in agony. Something sharp burned itself into the very bones of her clavicle, warm liquid oozing down to soak within her shirt. If she knew what the creatures were, she knew her fate to be sealed for sure.

                She was too weak to fight. Too atrophied to survive. She thought of her grandfather, his pleasant smile filling her mind. Despite the pain cutting her into shreds, she wanted to feel at peace. If seeing her grandfather one last time would bring her that solace, she wanted it more than anything. He had been her rock, her saving grace when her parents had died. He meant more to her than living. She wished, as she slipped toward the darkness, she could tell him she loved him.

Through her diminishing mental state, she heard another roar. This time, it rang louder than the other three combined. It seethed with anger and hate, a twinge of hostility causing her to wish to see the source. That hostility she felt directed toward her attackers. In an instant, the weight upon her shoulder was ripped away and with it the pain. She inhaled deeply, gasping for breath as if drowning.  

                Through the blurs, a large black shape merged with a red one. Growls and snarls ripped through the quiet, the noise echoing sharply among the quiet. Rey blinked, attempting to focus. Her tired eyes refused to do such a thing, her brain fringing on the edge of conscious and benumbed. Still, she tried with all her might to watch the scene play out.

                Roars intertwined with each other, the rough scrapes of claws and snow signifying the fight taking place in the wood. A battle of brute strength, the black form thrashing with the red in a flurry of snow and fur. Silently, she prayed the one fighting with the others to be friendly. Her dark knight she hoped would leave her to rest in peace to feel even though she wished for something more.

                The string. She could feel it. It pulled her tightly forward toward the writhing mass of dark shapes. Where it led, she didn’t know. In her mind’s eyes, she pictured the stark red string crimson as blood trailing toward the battling creatures. Which one, she couldn’t tell. She hoped, against all odds, it was not the ones who attempted to end her life.

                Instantly, more pain wracked her body. She screamed again, an inhuman roar harmonizing with her own wail. With this pain came waves of emotions unlike her own. Writhing hatred and fear sparked insanity beneath her skin. Claws tore at flesh, but were they theirs or hers? Fangs of white imbedded themselves into another’s flesh and she felt the warm blood flow from the wound. Power beyond her comprehension surged forth from the battling creatures. This power was not hers. It belonged to something entirely.

                Then, she fell into the void of blackness just as one more roar echoed valiantly among the quiet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Like, comment, subscribe, bookmark...all that fun stuff. You guys are what keeps me going! Chapter six is coming soon! Stay tuned!


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kylo struggles with his intentions. Rey wakes up in a new area.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! So sorry its been a while. My computer decided to crap out on me but for now its fine!   
> Let me know how you like it!

 

“If you let people into your life a little, they can be pretty damn amazing.”

-Sherman Alexie

 

He sank his fangs deeper into the flesh of his enemy. Warm blood oozed down his chin, dripping down onto the stark white snow at his feet. Disheveled drifts caused the area to appear as a war zone, and to Kylo it seemed as such. The red furred beast writhing beneath his clawed grip was anything but a friend. His roars of pain and anger matched that of a sworn enemy.

Using the remaining power he could muster, Kylo Ren threw the red furred animal to the side like a doll rag. The creature flopped through the powdery snow, sending crystal spray into air to sparkle as they fell back to earth.  Defiance ridden eyes glared back at the heaving monstrosity before him while he attempted to right himself again. Yellow, red rimmed eyes of hatred met Ren’s. Snarls passed between the two like snakes hissing over a meal. Kylo’s fur bristled as he positioned himself between the red head and the girl.

His enemy couldn’t touch her. Kylo wouldn’t let him. Of course, he didn’t know why. The overwhelming need to protect the girl wasn’t normal for him. However, a lot of things had changed that day. He figured it to be some sort of fate, or something much different. Still, if it were anything in his power to keep her safe, he would. Why? He didn’t know. She was nothing, but, somehow, she didn’t feel that way to him.

The red head plowed toward Kylo and he braced for it. Riding on his hind two, Kylo welcomed the challenge with open arms, flexing clawed fingers with glinting spears toward his enemy. They met with brute force. The crashing of their bodies and slashing of their razor talons echoed from the whispering leaves of the trees. The once peaceful wood now filled itself with roars of pain and angst.

Out of his peripherals, Kylo spotted two more dark shapes approaching the thing he swore to protect. With lightning speed, he whirled around to see the red head’s henchmen closing in for the kill. The girl had lost consciousness, her blood tainting the pearl white of the powder she lay upon. The dark beasts approached her, threads of drool spilling from their fang filled maws.

He had a choice to make. He had never been good at such things. Still, the pressure was upon him to decide and he was left to it. Should he fight his enemy behind him but allow the other two to shred the girl to pieces? Or, should he protect her like his tattered heart demanded him to? If he were being honest with himself, there was no question his decision.

He flung himself toward the two dark beasts, a roar escaping his lips. Landing above her, her body right beneath his own, he stood on all fours to his full height. Hissing a challenge, he demanded the two to approach any further. They knew he wasn’t a game player. Still, their amber eyes flared with defiance and the lust for blood. Had they known such a thing before? Kylo didn’t doubt it.

“Ren,” A voice slithered across the wood. Footsteps approached, the red furred creature entering Kylo’s line of sight. “End this now. There’s no need to fight like this.”

“What are you doing in my wood, Hux?” Kylo demanded. “This isn’t your part.”

The red head chuckled, nasty playful eyes narrowed. “Maybe things have changed, Ren. Maybe you don’t own this anymore.”

Kylo’s ears flattened. “What?”

“Snoke hasn’t been impressed with your latest work. Why is that?” Hux’s snarl rose the hair upon Kylo’s nape. He had only just spoken to Snoke moments before. What had changed now?

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Ren snorted.

Hux’s eyes traveled down to the girl. “Well, besides that, we scented something sweet in this area and decided to check it out. Turns out we were right.”

The two henchmen chuckled. Kylo growled. “Don’t touch her.”

“How scandalous, Kylo Ren.” Hux mocked. “Seems you have yourself a pet. Why is this little mouse so alluring to you?”

“Maybe you should ask yourself that same question.” Ren hissed through barred fangs. “I swear you touch one hair on her head, I will kill you.”

“That’s a shame.” Hux smiled. “She seems like she’d be such a tasty snack. I’d hate to see her wasted on you.”

Hux reached forward, attempting to touch the girl beneath Kylo’s protective stance. Ren reacted in the blink of an eye, snapping powerful jaws toward his enemy. Fangs met flesh and Hux hissed in pain. The red head withdrew himself quickly, eyes blazing with anger.

“Snoke will hear of this, Kylo Ren.” Hux boomed. “He will know of your folly, _and_ your silly pet. Mark my words.”

Then, with a quirk of his head, the trio burst through the surrounding snow drifts and out of Kylo’s line of sight. Their footfalls faded, and the wood fell silent once again. Kylo stilled for a moment or two, carefully listening to trees as they whispered of the intruders and the battle that had ensued. Small, woodland creatures tattered on the subject as well. Their comments fell upon his sore shoulders, rolling from them as if water on a smooth rock.

A steady breathing broke the serenity. Kylo glanced down, a small gasp escaping from his lips. He had completely forgotten about the girl comatose at his feet. Slowly, he slid to the side and away from atop of her. She hadn’t woken, to his relief. As he viewed her, though, he felt a sense of worry build within. The blood had not stopped seeping from her wound. If he were right, he remembered one of the others sinking their fangs within the soft flesh.

If the stories spread through America were true, he would worry of a transformation like his. However, the curse was much different than what the social norms of society. If someone was bitten by him, or the others, they would be just fine. Besides having a gaping wound and a possibility of infection, there was nothing threatening a transformation. Therefore, his mind didn’t whirl with worry over the girl becoming like him. He wouldn’t wish that on anyone. His worry fell on her wellbeing. He didn’t know her, but someone’s blood on his hands was not what he wished for.

Shaking his ears, he padded over to her limp form. His heart thumped wildly against his chest, threatening to burst forth from its cage. She wasn’t dead, he remembered. Thankfully, she had only blacked out due to the immense pain. Somehow, he felt that pain. It was quite possible the agony fell upon him due to his own wounds, but then again, it focused solely upon the location where he knew she had been bitten. His shoulder, and the area between, ached.

Flexing his body, the cold nipping at every strand of fur, he observed the girl’s state. Amid the wood and snow, he knew he couldn’t leave her there. Elbe wasn’t too far away, but the walk would most likely cause her more harm than good. The air deemed to bitter, too harsh for her frail body. She would freeze to death if he didn’t do something right away.

His eyes lingered upon her pale skin. A light dusting of snow mingled with the sun kissed hue of her cheeks, freckles sprayed under her eyes. Her lips were deathly discolored, his panic spurring into overdrive at the sharpness of her breath. What once had been prolonged puffs of steam streaming from flared nostrils were now only small and short. Shivers wracked through her, a reaction subconsciously because of her environment. He reached out by instinct alone, the terror driven part of his brain sending warning flares throughout his entire body. His warmth would do her some good, he thought. Maybe it would help her from shivering.

                His paw met her shoulder and his knees weakened. Something akin to shock lanced through him, his paw recoiling. He hissed with fangs barred to the wind, ears flattened to his skull in confusion. It hurt, but the tingling left behind was something he didn’t understand. In his mind, he saw the taught crimson string pull even tighter and the tug upon his heart urge him to disregard the shock. He didn’t, however, forget how it felt.

                He touched her again, the electricity he had felt earlier nothing but a small zap of static. Under his paw, she felt horribly cold. He could hear the feeble thumping of her heart. It scared him how low the echo seemed to be. With haste, he gripped her arms and drug her forward toward him. Reaching under her neck, he cradled her lolling head. Doing the same under her knees, he lifted her entirely from the snow bank and stood with her against his chest.

                He gazed out to the snowy wood, ears plastered to his skull. He couldn’t deny the feeling coursing through him. She was light, lighter than anything he had ever held. In fact, he hadn’t held someone in so long, he had almost forgotten what sensations came with it. To him, he was experiencing something new all over again. Her small frame pressed against his beating heart was enough to send the tendrils of lightning flashing through him once again. She was a living, breathing creature and he held her against him like she was the most fragile thing on the planet.

                She was, in fact, and the inferno of anxiety split through him instantly. His brain whirled solutions to the problem around like a spoon mixing sugar in tea. However, the situation was anything but sweet. As he processed the possible answers to his quandary, only one seemed to come to the forefront. Her home lay too far to safely deposit her and leave. The next town deemed just as much. However, there was a place he knew that lay just within reach before the cold set itself permanently and her death fell upon him.

                The response scared him, however, for he had never brought anyone to that place. Ever.

                Then, he glanced down at her frail form. Her once pale pink lips were now a horrid shade of blue, dark eye lashes stilled with icy crystals. Her smooth skin mirrored the snow at his feet and her body began shivering once again. She was like a tiny lamb caught in a nasty storm. Shivering and vulnerable to the elements, it pained him. Then, he remembered himself to be the lion. His body was a behemoth of strength and power compared to her. He could crush her in an instant.

                Why would he?

                She was light. Shining brighter than the pale sun piercing through the veil of tree limbs, she was illumination to the shadows he knew too well. For whatever reason, she was placed in his path. He had to save her, _needed_ to save her. He would know why in the future, but at that moment, there was no trying. He was put there to save her. The answer he dared not accept seemed the only logical thing to do.

                With a sigh, he gripped her tighter against him and trekked north. Toward his cabin.

*****

                Warmth caressed her cheeks like the hand of a lover. It softly ran its fingers across her skin, spreading the heat deep within her core. That warmth embraced her, cradled her in its arms and she sank into it willingly. She wished to indulge herself in the wonderful sensations. A hue of orange danced around her like flickering flames, licking at her limbs and begging her to stay with them. She wanted to. Oh, did she wish to dance with them. However, something called her. A pull lodged within her breast tugged at her very being to awaken. Was she asleep? Or was she dead? This she didn’t know.

                The faint ticking of a clock met her ears. Light danced beyond her consciousness. She felt her body shudder, the blood pulsing through her veins. She jerked, slowly opening her eyes to shafting sunlight. At first, she didn’t feel. Oddly, she could move a little with no pain.  Then, she made the mistake of turning her head. Covering her mouth to contain her scream, she righted her neck to ease the ache lancing through her spine. To be more exact, she felt the throb of agony engulf her shoulder and the space between the two. 

                Since she feared to moved quickly, she took the time to study where she lay. Draped over her was a heavy quilt. The pastel colors of pinks and blues contrast with the stars and moons stitched upon the fabric. It was a beautiful work of art, done masterfully by someone else’s hand. She envied the talent. All she could do was sew a simple hole in her jeans.

                Beyond the warm quilt, she noticed the comfortable bed she lay in. Ornate wooded posts sat on each corner, twisted dark wood and floral carvings signifying the wonderful craftsmanship. Furthering her observation, she noticed the large room expanded before her. Dusted bookshelves cluttered with old tomes signified the room hadn’t been used much before. There were three, one before her and two to either side. An old lamp perched on the corner of one bookshelf had been switched on, spilling warm light upon the grubby dark wood.

                Slowly, she turned to observe more of the room. Cautious of her predicament, she eased her eyes over the area shyly. On either side of the bed she lay in were dark wooden bedside tables. Two, stained glass lamps rested upon colorful woven covers. A glass of water and a few white tablets lay upon the untainted surface of the table to her right. She blinked wearily, curious but alert of what the white tablets could possibly be.

                A note lay to one side of the glass. Rough scrawl informed her the tablets were, in fact, pain killers. If she were a guessing woman, she would have guessed the note to be correct. Yet, there wasn’t a single signature to notify her of who had written the note. Alarm bells blared within her mind, her heart pounding against her chest. A stifling fear latched nasty fingers onto her, settling at the base of her stomach. She had to catch her breath as it came shuddering from her dried lips.

                She flipped the quilt from her legs, seeing as they were not injured. Wiggling her toes, Rey decided they were in good enough condition to walk. The only pain she could feel tingled between her shoulder blades, or around the area. She couldn’t really tell. It was unable to be reached by her eyes to asses the damage. She could really use the painkillers, she told herself. Yet, the cautious part of her didn’t dare touch them.

                Slowly swinging her legs over the side of the mattress, she monitored her pain tolerance. Again, the only uncomfortable feeling was that that rested on her back and the abominable headache. Her muscles groaned and throbbed, signifying she had been through some sort of trauma before she had awakened. This confused her a little for she couldn’t remember anything but waking up. Even so, it would come to her. She knew she wasn’t in Oklahoma anymore, even though she wished she was.

                The aura of the room was warm, bathing her skin in caresses of orange and yellow. As she stood shakily, she noticed the wood and beige curtains. The light from outside dimmed and the girl slowly wobbled over to glance out of the dusty window panes. The snow glittered upon the ground, a slight breeze whipping dusty diamonds through the air. The sun was either setting or rising, Rey didn’t know. She didn’t know which direction she faced.

                Turning toward the bed, she eyed the glass of water and tablets. Searching for her phone or anything she had previous, she grew disappointed. Knowing not where she had been placed caused the sickening fear to deepen within her. She held no means in which to communicate and not knowing exactly where she was caused an even greater problem. She had to find her phone, or an escape route.

                Granted, the room was a little better to wake up in than a ditch. If she could remember even a little of the previous events that placed her there she would feel a little better. Or she would feel worse. It depended on who or what placed her there in the first place. Still, she needed to know where she was and who owned the room. She prayed they wouldn’t be hostile.

                Slowly limping toward the door, she reached for the brass door knob. The cold metal was a stark reminder of her situation, the slight dream state she thought she was in shattered. The fear in her stomach rose to her breast, causing her heart to drum wildly. Was something there? Was that why gripping the door handle such a shock? She could feel something but couldn’t pin point its location or meaning.

                Something else was in the cabin with her.

                She drank in the scent of wood and pine, inhaling the bravery she needed and the courage to press on. She turned the handle and the door swung inward toward her. A dark hall lay beyond, the room she woke up on obviously the one to be on the very end. The corridor stretched toward light, orange flickering signaling a fire. She could only assume the fire to be held within a fireplace. If not, she was in for a rude awakening.

                The floor beyond was like the one she stood upon. Pristine hardwood warmed by the soles of her bare feet continued past the threshold of the room and toward the firelight. She sensed nothing in the warm, still air. The lingering scent of pine remained to waft through her nostrils. She shivered, the hall very short yet seeming to stretch for eons.

                Taking a cautious step forward, Rey placed her foot upon the wooden floor of the corridor. The floorboards remained silent, ornate rugs muffling what sounds could have been made by the wood floor. She eased into the hall, noting dusty picture frames and wall art along either side of her. She stepped slowly, her aching muscles hindering her gait. Her nerves tensed with every creaks of a floor board or shadow she thought moved in her peripherals.

                The cabin was eerily silent. As she emerged from the hall into a large den, she noticed a staircase lifting upward to a landing bathed in shadow. A large skull of an elk hung upon the railing overhead with dark eye sockets glaring down upon her. She didn’t mind skulls, but the creeping gloom behind it only seemed to darken the atmosphere. She let her eyes drop to the living area and absorbed her surroundings.

                Rustic seemed a fitting word for the den. Orange light mingled with dancing shadows frolicked upon the wooden floor in front of a blazing fire. The fireplace was made of rough, dark stone signature with a rustic log cabin. Above the dark wooden mantel hung what appeared to be a fully haired bear head. Gleaming teeth glinted in the pale light of the fire. Beneath the head lay a beautiful multicolored cowhide rug. Atop the rug sat an overstuffed brown couch and two similar appearing chairs. Rey loved the look of every piece of furniture, her muscles reminding her she needed sleep the longer she stood. On either side of the couch and chairs were a few dark wooden tables. Antler based lamps were left unlit, setting upon rabbit furs. An opened beer bottle sat atop a cork style drink coaster. It was half full.

                Along the walls were paintings of western scenes and other skulls. Most of them were just of deer, the occasional cow skull with curving horns dotting the spaces the deer skulls didn’t. Toward one end of the cabin she spotted what appeared to be the kitchen. It lay nestled beneath the staircase, and her stomach suddenly rumbled obscenely. She clutched it, realizing how starved she was. 

                The eves of the ceiling were beams of bare wood, the scent of pine heavy within the area. The air around her caused her to shiver slightly, but she didn’t know what from. The warmth of the fire drew her toward it, bare feet softly tapping across the floor. She dared not make a horrible racket, unsure of the cabin owner’s location. She didn’t feel scared, only cautious. There wasn’t an aura of hostility.

                Hesitating slightly, Rey decided heading toward the kitchen deemed logical. She was hungry. That much she couldn’t deny. Her stomach rumbled uncomfortably, enough so that she would risk peeping into a stranger’s fridge. A large, gleaming refrigerator of stainless steel loomed in the corner nearest the kitchen sink. That, too, was stainless. Dark granite countertops sparkled in a light that appeared to have been left on, mini metal chandelier swinging back and forth. The artificial light cast from the bulbs above obscured long shadows across a granite bar with wooden seats. Everything seemed flawless and clean, unlike her tiny kitchen back in Oklahoma. What she had was all she could afford. It was her home. That was about it.

                The cabin didn’t look uninhabited. It scared her.

                A loud creak echoed from above. She halted her slow beeline. The silence hung heavy around her. She stiffened, feeling the fear that had gripped her beginning to creep upon her spine. Everything signifying the horror of the situation seemed to pile itself upon her shoulders. She had no idea where she was. No idea who the cabin belonged to. She had no idea if they were still inside. If she was honest with herself, she was scared to death of who owned the place.  

                 Something dark shadowed the staircase. Wood groaned under large footfalls. They echoed from the bannisters. Goosebumps erupted on her skin, the hair at her nape standing on end. She felt a presence she had never felt before. It materialized like a darkness, but it wasn’t entirely unpleasant. She honestly didn’t know how to feel.

                Another sensation, one she didn’t find horrible, tingled her nerves like tiny firecrackers. It sparked and sizzled, leaving her heart humming like a live wire. It was delicious but horrifying. She wanted to know what it was, but shy away from it. Rey had always been one to keep her head down. She didn’t interest herself in matters that could deem harmful.

                She could see light spill onto the hardwood, the waning gold signifying it was evening. Something dark cast its gloom over the yellow luminosity, suggesting to the girl that she was most certainly not alone. The groaning wood told her the subject was heavy. She felt its breath stir the still air. The buzzing in her skin grew intensely. A million bees in her head. She couldn’t shake it, nor could she back away any faster.

                Then, it stopped. She held her breath, heart threatening to burst. There was only silence. It and her.

                “You can help yourself to anything in the kitchen.” A gruff voice filled the void of silence. Unsure, yet sure. It confused her.

                Then, she felt the buzzing halt completely. Instead, she could hear. It wasn’t completely coherent, but she could hear something. A muffled cacophony of noises within her head that weren’t completely hers. She couldn’t tune it out. She couldn’t shut it off. It was as if the remote whose batteries were dead.

                For a moment, her voice escaped her. She searched as best she could to find it, but to no avail. She didn’t know why she felt so bewildered. The very thought of something above her should have struck fear within her very core. She was calm, though. Uncertain, but calm. She mustered up what she could and found what little voice she had.

                “Where am I?” Her voice broke.

                The object, the creature or person above, hadn’t gone anywhere. She felt it as much as she felt the cold thrill of the air morphing around her. She shivered, feeling the entity’s being crawl up and down her spine. Did she know this person or thing? She didn’t even know what it was, exactly, but she found herself wondering if she knew who or what it was.

                “In my cabin.” It responded. “In the woods.”

                She nodded. “Am I far away from my hotel?”

                The voice cautiously proceeded. “In a manner of speaking. Yes.”

                She shuddered. “Am I even in the same state?”

                The voice chuckled. “Yes.”

                Wrinkling her nose, she nodded. Unsure of where the conversation was to go, she cleared her throat. “Am I allowed to go back?”

                The voice shook, the sensation within her mind pulsing with fear. Whatever it was didn’t know that answer. How did she know what it knew? She roved her mind, recognizing its panic. Was she even supposed to be there? According to it, she was not. Then again, she hadn’t meant to be caught in the middle of the woods in a stranger’s cabin.

                “Tell me this.” She demanded diplomatically. “What is your name?”

                The shadows seethed. Many secrets writhed within them. She couldn’t tell if she had upset the being or not, but she hoped she hadn’t. Asking the wrong questions seemed to be normal for her. If she were honest with herself, she was never one to pry. Answers were answers, though. If she were to be in the same cabin as someone, practically living with them, she might as well know what they went by.

                As far as she was concerned, the being was mostly human. This assumption struck a bit of horror through her. The tiny part she felt wasn’t human was the entire reason her nerves spun out of control. The hair at her nape stood erect, the feeling of being watched a constant. Who was this thing or person? Why were the signals she received from them so distorted?

                “My name,” It snarled. “Is Kylo Ren.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you guys think! Thanks for being patient with me!


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some filler chapters. Ren gets a bit angry. BATB reference in there somewhere because it kinda feels that way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys are enjoying reading so far. My updates are spaced out a lot but there is a lot going on rn. Stay with me on these. I promise I'll get them updated!

“The most important single ingredient in the formula of success is knowing how to get along with people.”

\- Theodore Roosevelt

 

                Her doe eyes engrossed him. He felt her fear writhing like the shadows at his feet. He grimaced, knowing his voice was off just as much as he was. He couldn’t lie to himself, however. Having her in his cabin ate him alive with things he had _never_ experienced before. Knowing how he reacted to her made him hate it. Had he been thinking properly, he would have dumped her somewhere far from him. Then again, the thought caused his shriveled heart to shudder.

                He froze as she answered him. Her voice was oddly calm, but he could feel the sizzle of her being. Her blood pulsed within her veins and her heart raced. She was scared, and he didn’t blame her. He couldn’t show himself to her. She would flee like a rabbit and he wouldn’t chase her, knowing full well if he did she would only run farther from him.

                Kylo stood stiffly on the landing above, the shadows keeping him company as he awaited her reply. He awaited anything but the damned silence. It hung heavy in the still air of the cabin. Among the fresh pine and lingering scent of his body wash, her smell hugged along the gloom at his feet. Her light threatened the very border that kept him safe, but would he like it that way? The edges sputtered as her illumination stretched glowing fingers along the seething darkness. That dark hissed and crackled like a flame spritzed with water. Soon, it retreated enough to see his large feet.

                His large, nasty feet.

                  


                She moved, his attention snapping from the conundrum at the floor to the newest in his kitchen. He had completely forgotten about her and it surprised him. From her lingering scent, to the light emitting from her form, to the undeniable presence she put off, it was a surprise he had let her slip his mind at all. Even if only for a brief moment wallowing in his own self-hate.

                “Well, Mr. Ren, I am Rey.” She stated with slight sarcasm. “I don’t suppose I can have the time or the location of my phone to check it?”

                Kylo cocked his head. Confusion at her question caused his brain to blank. Of course, she needed to know a few things about her situation. He didn’t figure she would remember much after her incident. He could do his best to fill her in without giving away important information. That would be best. Somehow, though, he felt she would eventually get the answers she desired. He needed a story and needed one fast.

                First, he would answer her simple question.

                “It is almost dark. Your phone is safe.” He answered with a tone much cooler than the war waging within him.

                “Well,” He watched her scratch her chin with a pained expression. “That’s kind of a problem, but I guess I’ll get over it. What about where I am?”

                He stiffened. “I already answered that question.”

                She snorted. “Yes, you did. I would like to know where in the woods, in this cabin, I am.”

                He figured he didn’t understand her question, but chose to answer the best he could. “You are still in Washington. You are safe. No more questions.”

                He felt her draw back at his gruff response, but he couldn’t care. She needed to know the danger she was in. If not from him, she needed to know the danger the others posed. He knew they would come back. Their memory was but a flash, but she knew something dangerous had occurred to get her there. This Kylo Ren would know, but was she willing to ask?

                If anything, he knew the enemy to be out there still. Snoke was not one to let an incident as his fly from his fingertips. The order needed to remain. As the sole keeper of that order, Kylo had performed a heinous crime against the most feared man he could have gone against. If it weren’t the mere fact of a human seeing some of the others in their true forms, it was the other fact of his reluctance to hand her over to them in the first place.

                What was the meaning of his defiance? Since his curse, he had done what Snoke had ordered. The order in the wood had been kept up to par and nothing horrible had happened. Then, a girl shows up to change everything. What once was a life full of monotonous wanderings among the trees, ducking out of sight as a car passed by, or observing the wild life as it went on its way, was now a single moment of her scent and his loyalties being tested.

                He needed time. He needed to know what she was to him. He wanted to understand why his reacted in such as way to her and why everything was uncertain. The solid world under his feet now quaked with caution and questions. He dared not step forward, but feared to remain in the same place. As he watched her, he couldn’t help but feel a bit of his destiny (if not all of it) belonged beside her.

                Who was this girl? What role did either of them play?

                All he knew was that he would do anything, _anything_ to keep her safe. The reasons, he had yet to understand.

****

                She didn’t fancy the silly riddles and unanswered questions. She needed to know something, anything, about her situation. She knew nothing about the person above her or where she was at. Her location still remained a mystery. Was it for the best she remained under the roof of the random cabin? She had a life to go back to. She had a job and other things like home awaiting her arrival. She would need to head back, get back to what was before her run in the woods.

                He was still there. Somehow, she felt him. She stepped forward and toward the staircase. Into the lounging room she turned to face the banister above, seeing nothing but shadow writhing upon it. She figured him to be there and felt his energy. Blinking a few times, she sighed and crossed her arms over her chest.

                “Fine. Can I ask just one more question?”

                The shadows were silent as she waited. She felt a tickle of comprehension in the back of her mind, wondering where the source of the thought had derived from. She focused on the dark landing above as a thumping noise met her ears. They sounded almost like footsteps, Rey’s stomach tightening at the thought of some creature roaming feet from her.

                Finally, she felt the tension break for a moment and she breathed in the scent of the pine and rich wood. She felt him, above anything else and it was an odd sensation as it whirled around her body like the warmth of a flame. It was unknown to her why she could sense it. Something inside her, something primal, _knew_ the scent and knew not to feel fear. The thumping grew louder until it was only mere feet away. The darkness before her seemed to grow at the very top of the stairs. She saw hair and gloom, rough edges and sleek curves of muscle.

                It was a monster. A king of writhing shadows as tall as the boughs of the trees outside seemed as if it should cause her to scream in horror and flee. Yet, she found herself gazing into the dark abyss she believed was his face, and never letting her eyes roam away. A sense of calm entered her and slipped around her warm as a blanket. She took two steps back from the stairs, unsure of what to do in the situation.

                “You cower in fear because of me?” The deep baritone dripped from the banister, honey to her ears. She shivered.

                Was she afraid? She didn’t rightly know. If she did, that answer had yet to come to her. As she viewed the creature standing there, she couldn’t see anything but how large he was. Clearly, he wasn’t human. If he were, he was only slightly. He asked if she feared him? As long as he didn’t try to eat her, she wouldn’t.

                “No,” She finally stated. Goosebumps erupted along her skin. “If you don’t eat me, will be okay.”

                A rumble akin to a chuckle caused her to reconsider him being only part human. It had a personality of a sort, Rey figured. Maybe a shred of humanity stuck there among the fur and shadow. Mentally, she shrugged the idea as she glared up into the void. The creature didn’t move or bother to. It only stood there, an awkward silence falling between the two beings.

                “I see,” It finally spoke in a humored rumble.

                She narrowed her eyes. “Is that all I get from you? A chuckle and silence? I have no unearthly idea where I am and who you are. May I please know?”

                The shadow seemed to seethe with annoyance for a moment, a slight spike in the thick tension already shared between them. She shuddered under the pressure. If she were a coward, whom she didn’t feel she could have been, she would have fled. A massive creature lurked above her in a strange cabin, and there had been some sort of creatures as well. Somewhere, in the back of her mind, she knew them to be real. Her answers lay before her, standing tall in a wreath of gloom. All she had to do was ask.

                “I already gave you the answer.” He hissed. Her skin prickled with the electric vibe of his anger. She shivered, not favoring the sensations it gave her. “You will stay here, for your own protection, until I deem it safe. No questions asked anymore or you will be placed back out in the snow.”

                His booming voice sent shards of ice down her spine. He was cold, snapping the air like a twig. She dared not dwell on the matter any further for fear of his threat becoming true. She had to accept her situation. She had to understand that she might be in danger. The wooly mammoth at the top of the stair deemed it as such. Should she disobey? Not if she wanted to keep from freezing.

                “The room you woke up in belongs to you,” He informed her. “Feel free to help yourself to whatever is in the kitchen. Cook if you want to. Just do not go upstairs and _do not_ go outside. Do you understand?”

                She hated being talked down to. The tone of his voice grated against her skin, allowing her to feel as if she were four years old all over again. She bristled slightly, eyes narrowing under her thick lashes. For a moment, she wanted to curse at him. She wished to spit venom at the darkness and tell him just where to shove it. Yet, she bit her tongue to keep it from shooting pointless atrocities his way. There was no need. She had a warm bed and food, rent free. It was all she could ask for.

                If only she knew her situation. Then, maybe, she could accept it better.

                Instead of fighting, she nodded obediently. “Sure.”

                The darkness was gone, and she was left to her own devices. She heard the thud of footsteps and the slam of a door vibrate the quiet of the cabin, then silence fell like a thick blanket upon her and she stood still for a moment. The moment hadn’t sunk in, she thought. Any second, she would wake in her hotel room with the sun beating down upon her skin in warm caresses. She would have lunch at the bar and go for a ride through the curving roads until she felt sleep tug at her again.

                Maybe, she would be home in her own bed. The thought of home made her eyes sting with tears. If only she hadn’t gone for the run through the woods. It didn’t pay to be athletic, she believed. It only led to waking up in a strange house with shadowy hosts. The very thought of what she would be doing now and where she would be left her regretting even going on a vacation.

                Still, it beat being cooped up at work for weeks and months on end. Maybe it was possible to ask her host about the events of before once she observed the grounds in which she was on. His turf, his home, gave him strength. If she could win his trust, or at least confidence in herself to face him, she could gather information. If she knew then she could possibly find a way out, or gain some sort of control.

                She turned away from the stair and slowly stepped back into the kitchen. Her stomach didn’t rumble. She wasn’t hungry. Instead, she glanced at the ornate cabinets above her head. They seemed to loom tall, a possible clue about her host. Pondering on him, she reached as best she could to grip the fancy knob. The mission failed, however, and she was left stewing on her horizontally challenged self. All she wanted was to get a drink and, yet, that proved a task as well.

                She felt the air shift above her, the sensation coming from beyond the wood ceiling and to the contents of the rooms upstairs. A wave of annoyance flooded through her veins. She stood back, curious of the new sensations origins. If she knew any better, she would quit struggling and return to the room she woke up in. However, she hadn’t had anything since she woke up. She hadn’t had anything before, if she were a guessing women. She didn’t want to leave without at least grabbing a quick drink.

                She heard the shuffling of something large over her head, the annoyance growing stronger. The feeling wasn’t hers, but then again it seemed to be hers. Sure, she was aggravated by how short she stood. The other wave of irritation seemed much deeper. A slight bit of nervous tension hung there as well. Was it hers? She couldn’t place a finger upon it.

                Reaching one more time, she heard loud footfalls as deep as thunder upon the floor behind her. She froze, feeling eyes boring into the back of her skull. Goose flesh erupted throughout her body, forming bumps upon the arm unmoving in midair, fingers spread wide. Silence fell, the only noise she heard being the thumping of her heart against her sternum. Warmth spread throughout the room, counteracting the thrill of the goosebumps upon her flesh.

                “Do not turn around.” A low voice crawled up and down her spine, causing her to shiver. “Close your eyes and do not move.”

                She didn’t dare step one foot out of place. The low voice was warm water across the nape of her neck as it drew closer. She slammed her eyes shut, her world dark for a moment. An unfathomable heat spread itself across her back as a being stepped behind her. She felt him and his entirety as he entered her bubble. Rey held her breath, the unknown man near her a mystery she wished to unravel. The fear of going against his wish kept her still with bated breath as she felt his heat caress her spine, little tingles of exhilaration bursting like fireworks within her belly.

                If it were any other situation, she would have simply been indifferent. However, with the various kinds of sensations forming in her brain, his presence behind her, and the fear of cracking an eye open to see what was taking placed almost caused the girl to crumble. Yet, her knees were locked and that horror kept her feet glued to the floor beneath them.

                Something soft brushed her cheek, a thrill of contact sending sparks rushing through her. A sharp inhale could be heard from the man as if he had felt something too. She couldn’t breathe, knowing if she did she would want to observe what was going on. It took every ounce of strength to contain herself.

                Rattling echoed around the kitchen, a solid object being placed in her outstretched fingers. Its cold surface felt starkly contrasting against the heat pressing in the small of her back. Then, as quickly as it had come, she felt the warmth recede. He remained in the shadows, though. She felt his form still within the writhing darkness. Somehow, she could sense the nervous tension once again. This in tandem with sensations she didn’t understand, but knew weren’t hers, left her mildly confused.

                “Now you can get your drink.” The man stated finally, breaking the silence thickly hanging between them.

                She didn’t open her eyes as she turned toward where she believed him to be. The solid surface beneath her fingertips felt ceramic, like a mug. Had he handed her a glass to fill with water? If so, her original assumption of him began to falter. What was his purpose for having her there? Why had he kept her in his house, yet helped her?

                Instead of fighting, she simply smiled at him, or where she thought him to be. “Thank you. I’m vertically challenged. Do you happen to have a step stool?”

                A grunt, slightly inhuman, caused her insides to flip. “No.”

                “Oh,” She breathed, smiled fading. “I guess I will keep this glass on the counter so I don’t have to reach up anymore.”

                “That would be wise.” He stated simply. She thought back to her statement of his kindness. It seemed to be only out of irritation that he had done such a thing to help her. “I will be leaving now. Feel free to roam the cabin, but do not go upstairs. That is forbidden.”

                “So you said. Are we acting like the Beast from the Disney movie, now?” she scoffed. Her favorite fairy tale seemed frillier than her situation. She wouldn’t dare compare the current predicament with something she held dear to her heart.

                The air faltered again. The sensation of hot boiling anger seemed to froth at the edge of her mind, threatening to spill over upon the floor between them and melt away the solid ground. She felt herself go deathly still, this sudden feeling not hers entirely. For some reason, she was feeling someone else’s rage.  Taking a step back, she blindly pressed herself as flat against the counter top as possible. The hard surface bit into her skin, causing her to suck in a pained breath.

                “I would suggest you never mention such things again,” A growl as savage as a bear’s ripped through the electric air. “Do not mistake my generosity for kindness and the pure enjoyment of someone else in my home. Be mindful of what you do and say. I was not joking about my threat earlier.”

                Rey bit back a retort, knowing full well that behind her closed eyes stood a dangerous individual. If she thought he was kind, she was purely mistaken. For whatever reason, she had been unwillingly brought here and kept within the walls of a stranger’s home. For how long, she didn’t know. It scared her to know. She feared knowing anything besides her comfortable life back in Oklahoma.

                She didn’t say anything as the sudden horrific rage faded along with the stomping of someone’s feet. The footfalls grew sparse as a door opened and slammed shut with great force. Everything rattled then stilled. She kept her eyes tightly shut until the feeling of him subsided, the mild temperature of the room returning. Then, and only then, did she allow herself to release the breath she had held.

                Opening her eyes, she wildly glanced all over the room in search of her host. The shadows lay empty along with everything else. Then, she let her eyes fall to the glass in her grip. A large, burgundy mug glistened in the lights from above. The dark brown figure of a wolf painted onto the surface cause Rey to blink. Remembering the sensation of warmth and heat as it was placed into her hands caused her cheeks to flush. What had happened? Where was she and what was going on?

                One thing was certain, though. If her captor, host, or whatever he posed to be continued on with how he was acting: she needed to escape. She needed to run back to her hotel room, pack her things, and head back home. She would never vacation again in the mountains. The beach would do just find.

                On the beach, she only had to worry about sunburns and sharks. Not dark shadows that spit threats. There were not gloomy figures to content with. The only thing she would see was the sun and sand. She didn’t like sand too much, though. It was course and got everywhere.

                Sand beat the snow any day, though.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed. This one will take time to plot out but I'll get there.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just another filler chapter with some cabin visualizations. I promise when I am not super busy, some juicy stuff will come.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for sticking around! Adulting sucks yall.   
> Check out my other stuff.   
> I still still have another fic coming out soon when I can get a chance to finish the first chapter.

### "Sunshine cannot bleach the snow, nor time unmake what poets know." — Ralph Waldo Emerson

Kylo dashed through the drifts with heated rage. The snow around him melted from the trees, dripping onto his fur like chilled rain water. He inhaled the sweet, mountain air angrily as he listened intently to the surrounding area. He needed to be out of the cabin. He needed to be as far away from it as possible. He needed to be away from _her_.

She called him a beast. Nothing stung worse. Nothing ever had before. He could endure various things from the others and endure the bitter cold. A thick layer of hair served not only as a burden, but also as a coat of sorts. He could take an injury like a hardened veteran. He couldn’t take her mocking. He couldn’t take beast falling from her beautiful lips. It made him hate himself more than he already did.

                Yet, no matter how much her words hurt, he still found himself fascinated by her. Her scent engulfed him, his mind balking at all logical thought. The glow of her skin and how her heart raced in her chest made him weak. Even then, he wished he would have gotten rid of the clothes she had worn previously. They hugged every curve of her shape and left nothing to the imagination. Just the mere sight of her left him needing to protect her from wandering eyes and keep her all to himself. He didn’t know the existence of someone like her. Her radiance penetrated every bit of the darkened corners he had grown used to living with and she stood defiantly against him like a warrior in the face of a dragon. She only had to reach out into the gloom to touch him and he would fall to her.

                Why? He wanted so desperately to know why she had this effect on him. He had been alone for most of his curse, yet one girl shows up and he loses it. There were others before her, but he had only seen them from a distance. He had only gazed from the shadows at their beauty, or lack thereof, and wished to join them in the land of the humans. If only he could do such a thing now. If only she could see him.

                It wasn’t worth it, he remembered. She wouldn’t be around for longer than a week if he were being honest. She needed to stay within his walls, to stay safe. The others would forget of her soon, he hoped. They usually did when something stirred among the trees. If only he could cut the head of the snake before it slithered to him. Snoke would not throw away the incident as lightly as his henchmen. Kylo knew that for a fact. From past experiences, he remembered the very thing that took his livelihood away and rendered him the form he was. Snoke didn’t dare forget the promise, or the fight Kylo gave when he realized the mistake he had made by giving in to such a man.

                _Keep them safe,_ he recalled screaming in the blizzard of winters past. _Keep them safe from you and I will be your tool. Use me as you wish. All I ask is to keep them safe._

                His sacrifice was not in vein, but the old man was not one to be kept idle for long. The scent of the girl, an outsider in their little town, would reach his nostrils. She was new blood, and that blood was sweet. None were allowed to enter the wood and live to tell the tale. None were so bold as to see creatures such as Hux and the crew without retribution. Kylo knew this because there had been many others before her that fell to him and the others. It was a horrible past, one he hadn’t regretted until now. One he knew he needed to play out, but the very thought of it reflecting in her eyes seemed to break his already shattered spirit.

                What would he do if he were the one to deal the fatal blow? Had he not sworn himself to never lay a hand on her? If so, he would stand against the forces that would work against him to do just that. He would fight the darkness and comply to her light if that meant seeing her glow cast upon him in his final moments. Was there any going back?

                Kylo Ren could only guess. She was right to call him a beast, because he was every sense of the word and more.  

****

                Rey blinked out into the snow. The sunlight dwindled, hugging the horizon and casting the sparkling forest floor in fire light. Her host had failed to show for hours, the girl beginning to wonder if he was every coming back. What could he be doing out in the cold? He could die of frostbite if he hadn’t brought a coat.

                She huffed. Why was she so worried? It’s not like he cared about what she worried for. He seemed particularly agitated earlier, Rey knowing men to fume and spew anger at the littlest things the more their lives held darkness. That could be the entire situation, she thought. He seemed agitated at her mere presence. Her aura seemed to affect him somehow. If not her, then she didn’t know what else could. He could have lived a simple life before she blew it.

                Pacing in front of the giant fireplace, she began dissecting her situation to find possible solutions. She knew she resided in the middle of the wood. He had stated she still remained in Washington. Still, there was no telling how far from town the cabin stood. If she were to tread out into the cold, she would risk venturing for hours or even days. Without the proper attire, she would likely freeze to death. So, that was not the option at the moment.

                She had to stay. There was no way she could survive out in the open snow. She didn’t have any way of information regarding any other storms either. She had to stay because it was the best option. No matter what the screaming voice of reason warned her of, the only other option was to remain. Beyond the writhing shadows and mystery of her host, there was warmth and protection. A protection she could never get out in the damaging cold and blistering snow drifts. She had food and a bed. The clothing option was unknown. If she were to wear the same clothes, they would eventually get dirty.

                To ease her racing mind, she decided to search the house. The floorboards creaked under her feet, the smooth wood causing her to slide a bit. She ventured off toward her room, down the hall and stopped at the first door she could see. Taking the latch, she lifted up and opened it with a tug. Beyond the door the darkness loomed, shreds of the waning light clipping through off white blinds on a small window. Whatever light there was, it illuminated a simple white washer and dryer. Both appliances were tucked up under a built in shelf, detergent and other laundry cleaning supplies nestled in fancy wire crates.

                She noticed the large clothes handing to the side near the window and walked in. Locating the light switch, she jumped at the sudden change in atmosphere. She gripped a large shirt handing in the closet, feeling the soft fabric beneath her fingers. Its scent was deep, musky but something she found herself fancying slightly. She lifted the shirt to her nostrils, drinking in the scent. Immediately, she placed the fabric back where she found it. Her eyes roamed around the rest of the room, seeing its humble wooden walls and meager decor. It most definitely belonged to a man.

                Exiting the laundry room, she moved to a door diagonally from the one she was just in. Lifting the knob, she opened the door to a humongous bathroom. Granite covered every surface from the large basin sink, to the walk in shower and floor. She felt the cold of the granite beneath her feet, and reached for the light. Flicking it on, she observed the contents of the room. Shaving equipment lingered on either side of the stainless steel faucet, a toothbrush rested in a brown holder. In the shower, body wash and a black loofa rested on a built in shelf. The removable shower head shined in the light of the overhead lamp.

                She left that room and headed down to her room, unsure of what to do next. She figured it was about the time to sleep, but her mind raced and her body felt the buzzing of energy she couldn’t get rid of. She wanted to run to tire herself out. However, she knew too well how that would end up, if her current situation was any reminder of such events. So, as she opened the door to her room, she set her mind to searching for clothes to wear to sleep. Whatever she had on wasn’t going to suffice. She still wore the active wear from earlier, the leggings beginning to rub uncomfortably along the inside of her thighs.

                Shutting her door behind her, she started for the door just around the dresser. The lamplight spilled upon the contents of a closet as soon as the door opened. Inside were various styles of clothing, mostly women’s and some men. She didn’t find anything suitable for sleep wear. Besides, it seemed they belonged to someone else entirely. The man, her host, seemed to have another person who was not there at the time.

                She settled for digging through the set of drawers between the closet and the exit. There, she found a set of lounge pants a few sizes bigger than hers and a simple tee representing the state of Oregon. The ink had faded over time, the blue that it had been once now a dull shade from many washings. The shirt, too, was much bigger than Rey.  It was a man’s shirt. Her tiny frame barely fit within it as she slipped it on after taking her shirt off. Still, it was comfortable and she didn’t have to wear the tight suffocating clothes she wore to run in. She needed freedom from the binding strings that tethered her to the memories of what she didn’t remember and needed to. To the reminders of what had happened previously.

                She wished she could brush her teeth, knowing she didn’t have any of that in the bathroom. She couldn’t hope for that much when everything resided in the room back in town. If only she had that little thing, she would accept even just a fraction of her predicament. Even so, she knew she needed to accept it all. It was reality. _Her_ reality in which she couldn’t change until the time was right. If she was stupid, she would run into the snow without any knowledge of her surroundings. She would then freeze and everything would be for naught.

                Feeling satisfied with her choice in shirts, she grew slightly annoyed. It was too bad she didn’t have pants to accompany the shirt. She dug around in the drawer once more, finding a pair of huge lounge pants under some random shirts. Her irritation dissipated as quickly as it came. The tag read a two extra-large, two times larger than the normal size of pants she would wear to bed. Usually, a pair of shorts would suffice to go to sleep in.

                At the thought of slumber, a wave of fatigue hit her like a blast of snowy wind. A yawn stifled any urge to continue searching the house, knowing full well the warning her host had imposed before he rudely left. Still, she couldn’t help but feel curiosity nip at her heels. Dark and mysterious places seemed to lure her into them sometimes. She knew she would severely anger the owner of the house and she passed it off as only a small urge. It didn’t need to grow.

                Having felt the sensation of exhaustion overwhelm her, she slipped on the pants and switched the lamp off. She couldn’t lie to herself on the oddity of her situation. The very idea of her location being unknown, and for all she fathomed, her host being the same, she couldn’t help but consider herself slightly off. Still, she had been through an incredible amount of stuff she hadn’t ever been through before. She held every right to be tired. In the morning, maybe she would be able to return to her hotel room and go home.

                The excitement from the evening caught up with her as she unfolded the covers and slipped under them. Without the lamp light, the room was in darkness. For some reason, Rey didn’t find it horrifying. She wasn’t a fan of the dark back home, but the room seemed to warm to cause her any issues. She felt safe and comfortable. A warm blanket of security seemed to drape over her as she nestled further into the covers. The window nearest her bed served as a looking glass to the world outside. Tiny fluffy snowflakes drifted down around the panes, signifying another small snow storm occurring beyond the glass.

                Rey felt her eyes begin to drift close. The pressure of the day was a horrendous weight sitting upon her chest. She buried her face into the pillow, the scent of flowers mixed with pine enveloping her in warmth rivaling that of the blankets wrapped around her. She drank in the scent, absorbing the comfort and calm that came with it. She felt sleep tug her, arms open wide for her to fall into. She beamed, ready for the sweet embrace of slumber.

                Something slammed down the hall, sending vibrations through her closed door. Her eyes popped open, fear slicing through her like a sharpened knife. She didn’t breathe or sit up, feeling another sensation press heavily upon her sternum. The thundering of her heart seemed the only thing to make a noise in the silent room. Then, heavy footsteps grew close. Their beats closed the distance between the kitchen and her room, her heart slamming painfully in her chest. She held her breath, unknowing of the source of the footfalls as they drew closer.

                They halted in front of her door. She froze with only her internal organs to betray her. Heavy breathing seeped through the slight gap at the bottom of the door. Different scenarios played through in her mind, all of them ending at who the actual noise belonged to. She knew, but wished to not face him again. There was no telling what sort of mood he seemed to be in and she didn’t wish to find out. Still, as he hovered just outside her door, she wondered the reason why. What possible interest did he have in her?

                Her feelings began to tumble between curiosity and annoyance. They weren’t hers, of course. Her own sense of fear seemed to drown the small sensations that belonged to someone else. Something fluttered on the floor like shuffling paper. Then, the footfalls began again, fading toward the kitchen. The feelings followed, leaving her to her own horrifying mood. Rey released her bated breath. Her heart slowed, her lungs filling with precious air.

She sat up slowly, peering over the edge of the bed to spy a star white paper upon the fluffy rug to the side of the bed. Rising, she made her way to the door and leaned down to grab what seemed to be a lined sheet of notebook paper folded in half. She opened it, reading the scrawl within.

_There is left over pizza in the fridge._

_Sleep in tomorrow. I will be upstairs for most of the day._

_I left a walkie-talkie down on the kitchen counter if you need me._

_Feel free to use the TV if you want to. I will try to figure out when you can leave._

_-Kylo Ren_

She carefully folded the paper up, wondering what she was to do the next day. She placed the paper upon the dresser, listening to silence of the cabin. She turned toward the bed, mind blank and tired from the day’s events. If she were being honest, she was about to receive free meals and lodging for no telling how long. She would have been grateful, if she knew her entire situation. It was no matter, though. She would have to settle for what was to come, or not come, because there was no changing it.

Voices rattled down the hall, her nerves jumping immediately. They were distant and indistinct, signifying the noise from a television. Was her host up late watching the news? It was odd, but she could see it. For some reason, she wished she could at least speak with him. She didn’t feel threatened by him, only shaken and confused.

The noise faltered, as if he paused it to listen to her. She jumped again, her heart hammering within her breast. Something brushed in her mind like fingers gently stirring the surface of a pond. Rey recoiled, unsure of the source. Shaking her head, she walked to the bed and nestled under the covers once again. The noise of the television picked up again, noting her decline in opening the door and exiting into the hall. A good choice on her part, the unknown voice in her head informed her. She slowly faded into slumber, hearing the television go on until she fell completely asleep.

She dreamed warmth and comfort and a voice in her head she knew, but didn’t.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for your patience! You guys are what keeps me going!

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and Kudo always welcomed! Check out my other works!


End file.
